The Fourth of July is a great holiday where people celebrate the freedom and birth of a nation. Unfortunately, some people’s celebrations get out of hand. That means it’s likely that reckless, drunk drivers may be on the roads, and reckless boaters might be on the water.
In Tennessee, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) will be working together to reduce the number of people behind the wheel of boats or cars while intoxicated. There will be several checkpoints throughout the weekends aiming to reduce the number of drunk drivers, to increase the number of people wearing their seat belts and to make sure those on the roads have drivers licenses.
On the water, patrols will be participating in Operation Dry Water, which aims to reduce drunk boating. The operation runs from June 30 to July 2, but patrols are always looking for intoxicated boaters to prevent accidents no matter what day it is.
If you’re the person being accused of driving a boat or vehicle while drunk, you still have the right to defend yourself. You may have made mistakes during this festive time, but that doesn’t mean you deserve to suffer for them. In many cases, those stopped for a DUI have not committed any serious crimes, and no one has gotten hurt. As such, the court should have some leeway in how you are penalized.
In some situations, the Breathalyzer used or other evidence may not hold up in court, either, so it’s worth talking to your attorney about the situation that has led to a DUI charge.
Source: WATE, “THP, TWRA to patrol for drunk drivers, boaters on July 4 weekend,” June 30, 2017