A D.U.I. / D.W.I. charge can ruin an otherwise wonderful evening. Office Christmas parties, or “Holiday Parties” for more progressive companies, generate almost as many D.U.I. / D.W.I. arrests as embarrassing stories and gossip. Every year, employees look forward to the Christmas/Holiday Party and the accompanying year-end bonus. Of course, getting a D.U.I. / D.W.I. can cost more than your year-end bonus. Recent studies show that a D.U.I. / D.W.I. conviction can cost upwards of $20,000. There goes the year-end bonus in one fell swoop.
Police departments step up enforcement during the holiday season. Every year, law enforcement agencies receive financial grants to increase road patrols and institute sobriety checkpoints. This means that police departments get extra money from the state or federal government to pay for extra enforcement. Grants are awarded from time to time throughout the year, but the simple fact is this: there are grants surrounding the Christmas party season. Sobriety checkpoints are a completely different topic, pretty much where the concepts of “probable cause” and “individualized suspicion of wrong-doing” go to die.
Most departments publish when they receive grants and let citizens know that enforcement is being stepped up. Regardless, there is no doubt that there will be more and more patrols and potentially sobriety checkpoints.
The single best way to avoid a D.U.I. / D.W.I. charge is to not drive after drinking. Mobile, Alabama has lots of taxicabs. A taxicab is almost always cheaper than a D.U.I.