It is now fairly common knowledge that texting and driving can get you pulled over pretty quickly in the state of California. That is why using the GPS function on your phone to navigate can cause you to wind up in a sticky situation with the law. If you have been out and had a drink or two before driving, it is never a good idea to get behind the wheel. However, if you are already on the road, using your phone to help get you home may draw extra attention to you while driving. Consider the following information so that you can avoid facing criminal charges, jail time, fines and penalties for using your phone to navigate your drive home after consuming alcohol.
The process of entering an address in your phone’s GPS looks exactly like texting from a police officer’s perspective. That is why it is best to enter your final destination in your GPS before you even start driving. This will eliminate any red flags that you have been using your phone in an illegal way while driving.
The reason this is so important, besides that it just just safer to have full concentration while you are driving, is that you are more likely to get arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol if you are stopped by a cop for another offense like using your phone while driving. If you get pulled over by a police officer for using your phone while driving, the police officer may smell alcohol on your breath and question whether you have been drinking. To avoid this complication, you should not be typing anything into your phone if you have had anything to drink before driving.
An even better way to avoid being pulled over for using your GPS on your phone is to just use a Garmin type of GPS that is mounted to your dashboard. This eliminates any appearance of you using your phone in an unauthorized way while driving. In addition to keeping your hands free to drive, a dashboard GPS will also keep your eyes straight ahead on the road. This is a safer option all around and is likely to help keep you more focused while driving.
By all means, if you think that you are lost, do not pull over on the shoulder of the road. A much better option is to take the closest exit and find a parking lot. If a police officer sees you pulled over on the side of the road, he may stop to question you whether anything is wrong. This could be a red flag and alert the officer that you have consumed alcohol. It is better to avoid this situation and find a better place to get reoriented. A public parking lot is less likely to draw any unnecessary attention to you and will give you some breathing room to regroup before trying to find your way home again.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of facing a DUI charge in California, contact criminal defense attorney Scott D. Henry of The Law Offices of Scott Henry. We are the leading DUI defense firm in San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County and pride ourselves on being zealous advocates for our clients’ rights. If you are facing criminal charges for driving under the influence, you need a lawyer that understands the severity of the situation and fights for your rights as if he were in your same position. That is exactly what clients get from lawyer Scott Henry. At The Law Offices of Thomas Wallin & Scott Henry, we have the experience and expertise required to get you the best possible results when faced with a DUI charge in California. When you need the best possible criminal defense you can get, The Law Offices of Thomas Wallin & Scott Henry should be your very first call at 888-900-0951.
(888) 444-7210