There are many myths about how you can sober up quickly in order to avoid a DWI (driving while impaired) arrest. Some of them are portrayed in movies and television. The person takes a cold shower, drinks coffee, and rolls the windows down in the car. The truth is that nothing will help you sober up but time. According to the Center for Alcohol & Other Drug Education at The George Washington University, “alcohol burns off at a precise rate of .016 BAC per hour” and there is no way to speed up this process. If you choose to drive before your body has time to metabolize the alcohol you consumed, you run the risk of being charged with DWI.
Some people know they cannot “sober up” before they drive so they try to cover up the smell of alcohol on their breath to avoid a DWI in case they are stopped by the police on their way home. Methods that have been used in the past include drinking mouthwash, eating a raw onion, eating garlic, chewing tobacco, and eating curry powder. If you tried to avoid a DWI using mouthwash or some other substance unsuccessfully, contact the experienced DWI attorneys of The Trevor J. Avery Law Firm, LLP immediately. We have strategies to help you fight your DWI charge that have proven far more successful than these so-called remedies.
Why Doesn’t Mouthwash Work to Avoid a DWI?
When a police officer pulls you over for a suspected DWI, he is looking for certain clues to establish probable cause. These clues include slurred speech, lack of coordination, and the smell of alcohol. Even if you are able to cover up the smell of alcohol, mouthwash will do nothing for your slurred speech and lack of coordination. It will do nothing to help you pass the standardized field sobriety tests. If anything, using mouthwash may increase the officer’s suspicion you are trying to avoid a DWI by covering up the smell of alcohol on your breath.
Alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream when you drink it. The alcohol smell is then released through your breath and your sweat. Your “breath” comes from your lungs not your mouth. While the mouthwash may cover the smell of alcohol in your mouth, it will do nothing for the air you exhale from your lungs or the sweat your body is producing. It definitely has no effect on the results of a breathalyzer test.
In fact, using mouthwash to avoid a DWI could make matters worse since many types of mouthwash contain a significant amount of alcohol. Some brands have 25% or more alcohol. Ingesting mouthwash to beat a breath test and avoid a DWI is not only a myth it can hurt your chances of reducing or dismissing the DWI charge. If you did not avoid a DWI arrest, contact an experienced DWI lawyer to discuss your legal options for fighting a DWI charge.
Contact an Experienced Jacksonville DWI Attorney
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The Trevor J. Avery Law Firm, LLP is a full-service Jacksonville Criminal and Civil law firm that is committed to providing results-driven legal representation to businesses and individuals seeking an alternative to large-firm representation. We focus on getting you the results you want while offering you a cost-effective solution to your legal needs. We understand that we work for our clients; therefore; our attorneys communicate regularly with each client to ensure that the client knows what is going on with the case.
When you have legal problems, you need an experienced legal professional in your corner. No matter the case, you should have an attorney working for you who knows the law and who has the experience to get results. We represent clients throughout Duplin County, Onslow County and the surrounding communities. Call our office at (910) 405-8459 or contact us online today for a free case evaluation.