It is never safe to drive while inebriated by alcohol. Our reaction times and judgment abilities are severely diminished. People can’t drive in a straight line when they’re drunk and they might drive into oncoming traffic, or they might not react in time to avoid hitting another car. That said, there might be some times when a court will decide that someone had a good reason to drive drunk.
The defense of truth can be powerful in the face of a drunk driving charge if the defendant had an excellent reason to be driving while inebriated. Imagine that you were out on a camping trip with friends. You were drinking around the fire, and suddenly one of your friends suffers a heart attack. You have no cell service, no way to call an ambulance, and you’re the only one who can drive your friend to the hospital.
If you decide to drive drunk because it’s the only way to avoid a far worse result — like the death of your friend — then you might have sufficient cause and reason to violate the law. Each time a defendant tries to use a defense like this in criminal court, he or she will be treading on very thin ice, but in some cases, it could work as a defense.
Were you accused of drunk driving in Colorado Springs? At the Foley Law Firm, we are available to speak with you about the facts and circumstances surrounding your arrest. We will then explore every reasonable legal strategy available to defend you against your charges.
