Getting a DUI can be terrifying, especially in a smaller town. It can feel overwhelming even under the best of circumstances, but without the wide array of options available to those in a larger city it can be an even more uncertain experience. If you’re in Paoli, PA, you may no think that you have the same access to defense or options as someone in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. Luckily, this doesn’t have to be the case!

The most important things to do in the event of a DUI are to find the right counsel and understand what to do after being arrested. Luckily, DUI attorneys in Paoli know how to defend your interests just as well as anywhere else in Pennsylvania. Having an attorney is only half the battle, however; it is important to know how to navigate the immediate events following a DUI arrest. What do you do when you get a DUI?

Stay Calm

The first thing to remember is to breathe. This is a serious situation, and should be treated as such, but now isn’t the time to panic. Panicked people make mistakes, and you need to focus on protecting yourself. Take a few moments to center yourself with deep breaths and calm thoughts. You may not be in as much jeopardy as you suspect, but losing your cool will almost certainly make the situation worse. Remember: keeping your wits and mind about you will make everything else that much easier.

Once you have taken a few deep breaths and calmed down, congratulations! The mental game is already won, and the rest is going to be easy in comparison. A calm mind is a sharp mind, and that’s exactly what you need right now. Stressful as the situation may be, you actually have more advantages on your side than you think. The best advantage, of course, is a good lawyer, but there are plenty of things you can do to bolster your case and make this experience as smooth as possible.

Know Your Rights

You have the right to remain silent, and you should absolutely exercise that right. After all, if anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, it’s just common sense that the less you say the less there is to use against you! The police will almost certainly try to get you to incriminate yourself, so the smart thing to do is to keep quiet! Remember: their job is not to protect your best interests, no matter what they say. You absolutely do not have to say a word about the incident, and you absolutely should not. There’s going to be plenty of time for talking when your lawyer arrives. You can find out all about your Miranda Rights, including the right to remain silent, here.

The right to legal representation is the most important right you have. Practice the phrase “I refuse to speak until my lawyer is present,” and let those be the only words you say to the police. Your right to an attorney is what’s going to make or break your case here. Your attorney is there to protect your interests, and they are the only ones you should trust in this ordeal. Your right to a lawyer is enshrined in the United States Constitution, and cannot be denied to you under any circumstances. While the state will provide a lawyer if you can’t afford one, it’s always a good practice to have a law firm in mind beforehand just in case.

Understand the Laws

Fortunately, depending on whether this is your first offense or not, you may not be in as much trouble as you think. In 2003 the state of Pennsylvania changed how it approaches DUI charges, adding a tiered system depending on blood alcohol content and number of prior offenses. Knowing the basics of these tiers is a good idea.

For a blood alcohol content between .08% and .099%, you can expect some annoyances for your first offense. This is categorized as an ungraded misdemeanor, and usually comes with a fine, up to six months of probation, and possible driver safety courses. A second offense is more serious, and can include jail time, a larger fine, license suspension, and/or ignition interlock. More than two offenses count as a 2^nd degree misdemeanor, and carry penalties including longer jail times and higher fines, as well as driver safety courses, ignition interlocks, and suspensions.

The following two tiers, between .10% and .159% and .16% or higher, carry the same penalties, varying only in severity. You can expect higher fines and longer maximum potentials on jail times depending on where your blood alcohol content was and how many prior offenses you have on record. While it’s always better to avoid a DUI entirely by refraining from driving after drinking, knowing the potential consequences is never a bad thing. You can find everything you need to know about DUI laws in Pennsylvania at https://www.dmv.pa.gov/Information-Centers/Laws-Regulations/pages/dui-legislation.aspx.

Consult With Your Attorney

Now that your legal counsel is here, it’s time to trust them. This is one of the most common mistakes that people make in these situations. You may be tempted to withhold information or spin events in a way that makes you look more favorably to your attorney. That is the absolute worst idea you could have besides talking to the police! Your lawyer’s job is to find the best end result for you, and they can’t do that if they aren’t working with an accurate account of events.

They know the law and the labyrinthine legal system better than you, and that expertise is what you’re counting on. Your counselor will be able to help you find the best course of action to take. Things may seem bleak, but a good legal advocate can make all the difference in the world. Tell your attorney everything, leave no detail out. They’re here to help, and you need to let them! Ultimately, having a good attorney and knowing as much as possible about your rights and the law are the best way to be equipped for a DUI charge.