A partnership between the City of Columbus, the beer company Anheuser-Busch, and the ride-hailing company Lyft aims to reduce drunk driving by providing transportation alternatives for people who go out on the weekend. More than just an awareness-raising program, the Columbus City Pilot to Reduce Harmful Drinking is a concrete step to keep intoxicated Columbus residents off the roads.
From September 7 to the new year, Anheuser-Busch and other partners will offer 2,000 round-trip Lyft rides each weekend for Columbus residents. If you want to go to the bars, to a game, or to a music festival and not worry about transport, all you need to do is check the Anheuser-Busch Facebook and Instagram pages for a ride code. Available every Thursday at 2 p.m., the ride code allows anyone over 21 years of age to claim a $30 credit with Lyft, redeemable anytime between 5 p.m. on Thursday and 5 a.m. Sunday.
Don’t Take Chances With Drunk Driving
Even if you have a clean record, a single drunk driving conviction can turn your life upside down. In fact, you don’t even need to get convicted of DUI to face crippling penalties. If you refuse to take a breathalyzer test after your arrest, for example, you will face many of the same penalties as if you had been convicted of DUI, such as fines and the suspension of your driving privileges.
Ohio law provides for harsh offenses even for first-time DUI offenders:
- Jail Time – Three days to six months in jail. Minimum of six days if your BAC was over .17
- Fines – $375 to $1075
- License Suspension – One to three-year suspension
- DUI plates – If your BAC was over .17
In addition to these penalties, your DUI conviction may result in several collateral consequences:
- Increase in your insurance premiums
- Inability to attend your job or school because of restricted driving privileges
- Paying court costs and attorney’s fees
- A permanent criminal record that can affect your eligibility for employment in the future
How a Columbus DUI Lawyer Can Help
Most people simply plead guilty to their DUI charges and spare themselves the expense of a lawyer. But considering the consequences of a conviction, investing in good legal representation is almost always worth it. Even if you eventually end up pleading guilty, your lawyer can likely help you secure a plea agreement with a more lenient sentence. And in some cases, it’s possible to defeat the DUI charges altogether.
To secure your conviction for DUI, a prosecutor must prove every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt on the basis of admissible and legally-obtained evidence. This means that you can avoid a conviction if your lawyer is able to make a plausible argument that you were not drunk behind the wheel, such as when your BAC test at the station was just barely over the legal limit, indicating that you could have been under the limit at the time you were driving. Alternatively, your lawyer might demonstrate that the prosecutor’s evidence was obtained illegally, such as when the police pull you over on the basis of a hunch, as opposed to an articulable suspicion that you were committing a crime.
At Luftman, Heck & Associates, we will explore every possible option for defending your case, and vigorously defend your rights at each stage of the criminal justice process. If you’ve been charged with DUI, talk about your defense options today with one of our Ohio DUI lawyers by calling (614) 500-3836.