Social Media Mistakes That Can Make A DUI Case Difficult To Defend
Posted on: 2 January 2019
Social media has a lot of benefits, but you need to know that what you post can sometimes haunt you. If you're out drinking with friends for the night, you might be eager to share the fun on social media — but you might not realize how doing so could complicate your situation should you make the fateful mistake of driving after drinking and end up facing a DUI charge. While it's always best to arrange safe transportation after drinking, here are some social media mistakes that you should also avoid if alcohol is involved.
Don't Post Photos And Updates
The simplest rule to remember is to abstain from posting photos and updates that depict your consumption of alcohol. In the event that you're caught driving after you've been drinking and you get charged with DUI, it's easy for the police to browse your social media pages and see this information. They can quickly take screenshots of your account and use this evidence as proof that you were drinking excessively — perhaps just a few hours before you were pulled over. It can be difficult for your DUI attorney to successfully defend you against such clear evidence.
Don't Record The Exchange
In an effort to expose police wrongdoing, many people decide to record their exchange with the police and post this footage on social media — often, by streaming it live. Doing so might be tempting, but the problem with this idea is that if you've been drinking, the footage may do you more harm than good. In all likelihood, the arresting officer is going to play things by the books, and your voice may have obvious signs of impairment. For example, you might be slurring your words or speaking excessively loudly or aggressively. This is another type of evidence that will be problematic for your DUI case.
Don't Post Photos Of The Traffic Stop
Perhaps in an effort to gain sympathy or appear humorous online, you might be tempted to snap photos and post them to social media during the traffic stop. For example, you might shoot a selfie that shows the police officer's car stopped behind you and write what you feel is a funny caption. The problem with this idea is that it can indicate that you aren't taking the situation seriously or showing remorse. Should you take your case to court, a prosecutor may use a photo of this nature to show your lack of care for the severity of the situation.
Talk to your DUI personal attorney for more advice.
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