Drivers often know that they should not drive under the influence, but they’ve already been drinking and they feel that they don’t have any other choice. For instance, the driver may be at a friend’s house or at the bar, and it’s time to drive home.
Rather than getting a ride, drivers will sometimes try to use various tricks to sober up quickly. Do these actually work?
Drinking a cup of coffee
One example of this is when people will drink a large cup of coffee – often straight, black coffee – before getting in the car. This does make them feel more awake and alert because of the caffeine. They may mistake this for feeling sober, but they are still just as impaired as they were before.
Taking a cold shower
Another example is when someone gets in the shower before driving, often using freezing cold water to “sober up.” But this tactic has essentially the same problem as drinking coffee: The cold shower might wake the person up, but that doesn’t change their blood alcohol concentration (BAC). If they get in the car, they’re still at risk of getting a DUI.
Eating a meal
Finally, many people believe that eating a large meal will help them become sober. However, eating food cannot retroactively impact their BAC. Eating before drinking may delay that intoxication, but it doesn’t sober them up after the fact.
Criminal defense options
If you tried to use one of these tactics to get sober, you may still find yourself facing DUI charges after an arrest. If so, be sure that you are well aware of the criminal defense options at your disposal, as a DUI can have severe ramifications – including jail time, fines and the loss of your driver’s license.
