4 Factors That Indicate You Should NOT Be Driving

You should always designate a sober driver if you plan to go anywhere and drink. You should never drink too much and try to drive home, no matter what the circumstances are. Mistakes happen and too many people have made the mistake of drinking and driving before. If you've made the mistake of drinking and driving and are faced with a DWI, we urge you to contact our DWI lawyers at the Lake of the Ozarks. You will need an experienced Lake Ozark attorney to represent you and Gibbons Law Firm can be reached at (573) 348-2211 for a consultation. Don't drink and drive - that may sound like an obvious statement, but history proves it's not so obvious to some drivers. Keep reading this week's blog for a few reasons why you shouldn't try to get behind a wheel if you are intoxicated or have just been drinking and are feeling slightly buzzed.

4 Factors That Indicate You Should NOT Be Driving

1. You're not thinking at your best.
When drinking, your judgment may be impaired. This is not a good attribute of a driver. Your judgment of traffic and other situations on the roadway may be hindered if you have alcohol in your system.

2. You're not moving as quickly as you normally would.
Alcohol can inhibit the time it takes for you to react to a situation. If you are operating a vehicle, you may not have the same reaction time as you would sober. If someone in front of you stops abruptly, you may not be able to get your vehicle stopped in time. If a deer jumps out in the road, you will likely not be able to react in a timely manner to avoid the animal. Swerving may be your instinct and this can lead to overcorrecting or travel off the road.

3. Your motor skills are likely off.
Your coordination may be impaired when driving under the influence of alcohol. It may make it difficult to navigate the roadway safely. Staying between the lines can be difficult for someone who has been drinking. Coordination is a vital part of safely operating a vehicle.

4. You may not be seeing clearly.
Road lights, signs, and other car's headlights can all blur together if you have been drinking. Many times a drunk driver will subconsciously drive toward a light that catches their eye. This can lead to a very dangerous situation on the road, especially with oncoming traffic.

Contact Gibbons Law Firm for a DWI Consultation.

If it's your first consultation, it's completely free. We don't charge anything for the first consultation. This gives you the chance to get your questions answered. This process can be scary and you may think that you automatically have no way out of this DWI, but believe it or not, things can be challenged in a DWI case and you should know all your options before assuming the worst. Gibbons Law Firm represents clients in all types of felony and misdemeanor cases. Roger Gibbons has successfully tried hundreds of criminal cases of all types. We are committed to providing clients with criminal defense services that will ensure their rights are protected and they are treated fairly. Find out more about how we can assist you by contacting our Firm and making an appointment today. Give us a call at (573) 348-2211.


Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

Follow us on...

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Safe Driving Tips for 2020

You should always designate a sober driver if you know you will be out somewhere drinking. DWIs at the Lake of the Ozarks happen and it's a very serious offense. With there being a huge Mardi Gras Pub Crawl coming up, we want to point out the safe driving options to get home or to your nearest lodging facility for the night. Our Camden County attorneys are also here to give you a few safe driving tips for the New Year! For your free DWI consultation, please call Gibbons Law Firm today at 573-348-2211.

Source: http://lakepubcrawl.com/

Mardi Gras Pub Crawl - The World's Largest Pub Crawl!
DATE : Saturday - February 8, 2020
TIME : Busses Start at 4:00 PM (VIP Shuttle Service Available too!)
COST : $10 Wrist Band

The wrist band is required and includes:

• Entry to 16 participating venues
• Unlimited entertainment – All locations will have band or DJ
• Bus transportation to all 16 locations.
• Pick up and drop off at participating Hotels/Motels.
• Wrist bands can be purchased the night of the event or before the event at all 16 participating 

THE SAFE DRIVING OPTION FOR THE PUB CRAWL

23 total buses run from 4:00pm til 2:30am and will get you to and from your designated lodging facilities with no need to drive. Hotel shuttles are provided to get your crawl started and route buses stop at every location on the crawl.

If you live nearby and need a sober ride home versus one of the participating hotels, plan ahead and ask a sober friend to come to pick you up or call a taxi. Check HERE for a few taxi options at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Safe Driving Tips for 2020

• Travel at a safe speed and obey the traffic signs at all times.
• Be aware of weather conditions and travel safely and accordingly.
• If possible, don't risk driving on ice. If you don't have a choice, then drive as slowly and cautiously as possible.
• Wear your seatbelt at all times and be sure that your passengers put theirs on as well.
• ALWAYS designate a sober driver if you are intoxicated and can't drive.

Always Designate a Sober Driver!

Our DWI lawyers at the Lake of the Ozarks can tell you that some pretty horrific accidents at the Lake have happened and were caused by drunk driving. You should always have a sober driver. The consequences are severe for drunk driving, which is why you should have an EXPERIENCED DWI attorney who can walk you through your legal options. Gibbons Law Firm represents clients in all types of felony and misdemeanor cases. Roger Gibbons has successfully tried hundreds of criminal cases of all types. We are committed to providing clients with criminal defense services that will ensure their rights are protected and they are treated fairly. Give us a call today to find out more about how we can assist you. We can be reached at (573) 348-2211.


Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

Follow us on...

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Pulled Over For Drunk Driving: Are You Giving Up Your Rights?

Even if you haven't been drinking, being pulled over under suspicion of drunk driving is a stressful experience. If you have had a few drinks, your heart rate will probably skyrocket as you anticipate what lies ahead. You desperately hope that the officer who pulled you over is in an agreeable mood - maybe he'll be willing to cut you a little bit of slack.

Unfortunately, the officer's mood is rarely an indication of how the overall process will go. Police officers are specially trained to watch for subtle variables that may indicate when a driver is intoxicated. Even if your officer seems congenial and agreeable, he will have a keen eye open for factors that will give him probable cause to arrest you for driving under the influence. Our Lake of the Ozarks DWI defense attorney is here to help you avoid giving him exactly what he's looking for.

Reasonable Suspicion Of DWI

In order for an officer to pull you over, he has to have have what is legally referred to as "reasonable suspicion" that a crime is being committed. From a DUI perspective, this typically means he has to have seen you committing successive driving errors or traffic violations (even minor ones). For example, he may have noticed you weaving in and out of your lane, rolling through stop signs, or stopping and starting suddenly.

Just because he pulls you over does not mean he has the grounds to make an arrest. In order to make an arrest, he needs to have probable cause. If you aren't careful, however, you could give that to him during what you thought was an innocent, amicable exchange.

Once You've Been Pulled Over

If you've ever been pulled over, you are familiar with the typical exchange that takes place. The officer may either ask if you know why you were pulled over, or he may tell you outright. You'll converse briefly about the reason he pulled you over, and he'll ask you for your license and proof of insurance.

At some point during the conversation, he may casually ask you if you've had anything to drink. You might tell him that you had a couple of drinks with your friends, but that it has been a while since then.

Depending on your conduct during your conversation, the officer may decide to ask you to perform certain field sobriety tests. These tests are designed to help the officer evaluate multiple factors to determine whether or not you may have been drinking. As examples, the officer will be looking for:

• Your ability to focus on a task
• Your ability to follow directions
• Your ability to balance
• Involuntary jerking movements in your eye

Standard field sobriety tests include three specific tasks: smoothly following an object (such as the officer's finger) with your gaze, standing on one leg, and walking heel-to-toe in a straight line, then turning around and walking back.

If you fail any of these tests, the officer may ask you to submit to a breathalyzer test. The officer will use the reading on the breathalyzer test as evidence to confirm suspicions he already has. In some cases, he may wait and not use the breathalyzer until after an arrest as already been made and you are at the police station.

What Should You Do Differently?

First and foremost, the best thing you can do is to never drink and drive. Appoint a designated sober driver, call a cab, stay with a friend, drink at home, and do anything else you can to ensure that you do not get behind the wheel after drinking. This is the only way to absolutely ensure you will not be arrested for drunk driving. We are in no way condoning driving under the influence. 

If you are pulled over, it is important to recognize that everything you say and do during your conversation with the officer can be used against you in court. The officer will be required to remind you of this fact (and your other Miranda rights) during an arrest, but he is not required provide this reminder at any time before an arrest. 

If you are pulled over under suspicion of DUI, the best thing you can do is to say as little as possible. No matter what the officer tells you, we can assure you that you are not required to say anything. You are also not required to perform field sobriety tests or submit to a breathalyzer test. Speaking unnecessarily or submitting to these tests only gives your officer evidence to use against you later on. This will make it much more challenging to back up your position when the time comes.

Contact Us For DWI Representation

Driving under the influence is a criminal act, and a DUI conviction carries serious legal consequences. If you are facing DWI charges, securing quality representation is essential. Our DWI attorney in Osage Beach MO has the skills you need to ensure your rights are protected at all times. Schedule your free consultation with Gibbons Law Firm by calling 573-348-2211.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

4075 Osage Beach Parkway, Suite 300

Osage Beach, MO 65065

(573) 348-2211

Follow us on...

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Google+

No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.