Retailers are not the only ones getting ready for the winter holidays, law enforcement officers are preparing for the holiday season too. This is because many different local law enforcement agencies participate in an enhanced OWI enforcement campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” set forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign focuses on the following time periods toward the end of the year:
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
In addition to ramped up enforcement, efforts will continue during the “pre-holiday season” from November 28th until December 15th. Officers will likely plan sobriety checkpoints and saturate areas around bars, restaurants, and other establishments that serve alcohol. Drunk driving is believed to increase during the holiday season due to the number of gatherings that generally occur. People often attend multiple parties with co-workers, family and friends and most of these gatherings have alcohol served. If you attend a holiday party, always be certain to have alternate transportation available if you plan on drinking.
The penalties for an OWI conviction under Iowa law can be very serious and may include suspension of your driver’s license, probation, or even jail time. For this reason, if you are arrested on suspicion of OWI your first call should be to Cedar Rapids attorney services for a skilled OWI lawyer. There are many legal defenses an attorney can raise in defense against your charges especially if officers did not follow proper protocol during a checkpoint or other increased enforcement effort. Too many people believe that they can handle their case on their own and end up overlooking constitutional rights. You should always try to avoid drinking and driving, but in the event you do get arrested for an OWI during the holidays or any other time of the year, you should have the highest quality of legal assistance on your side.
