Policeman checking woman driver for alcohol intoxication

DUI & Women-Understanding The Risks and Implications

Driving under influence is a serious offense, and it can land drivers in deep trouble. A DUI charge is among the most daunting criminal charges to deal with because it entails more than just legal penalties. It can harm your social standing and hurt your career, reputation, family, and personal life in the long run. The best way to avoid these charges is by avoiding drunk driving in the first place.

Awareness can be a savior if you still get into trouble due to a few drinks at a party. Women should be more attentive to drunk driving because alcohol affects them more than men.

While statistics indicate that men are more likely to get these charges, women are still in a precarious position. In fact, DUI arrests for females are consistently rising. Let us explain the risks and implications of DUI for women.

Risks of DUI for women

Although men are more prone to binge drinking, women are also likely to indulge. After all, a drink or two sounds like a great thing to overcome the stress of juggling family and work responsibilities every day. Relationship woes may also be a reason for drinking, while women may do it only to have a good time at social gatherings. Indulging in alcoholic drinks is not as big a concern for females as the effect of these drinks is.

Gender plays a significant role in alcohol metabolism, so it has a greater impact on women. Female drinkers have greater chances of facing criminal charges for DUI compared to their male counterparts. Here are the factors that can affect your alcohol test-

What Factors That Affect Your Alcohol Test:

  • Body weight- Women are inherently lighter than men, which affects how drinks show up in diagnostics. Lower body weight means less is more when it comes to alcohol consumption for females compared to males.
  • Body fat percentage- Typically, the percentage of fatty tissue is higher in females than males. So blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises faster, even with the same quantities of alcohol consumed.
  • Water content- Since the water content in the bodies of men is higher, alcohol is more diluted, making it less detectable in males. With women, it is exactly the opposite.
  • Hormone levels- The ADH hormone plays a significant role in the absorption of alcohol. It occurs in lower quantities in females, so they take women longer to metabolize alcohol.
  • Temperature fluctuations- Breath testing devices are affected by fluctuations in body temperature. Women experience greater temperature fluctuations because of their menstrual cycles. The BAC results may show a false elevation every time their body temperature is elevated.

Being a woman, you may find yourself on the wrong side of the law more than men consuming comparable amounts of alcohol. You must get a DUI lawyer legal representation sooner than later to defend yourself from criminal charges. Your lawyer can highlight these factors to prove artificially high BAC results and form a robust defense strategy to get you out of the fix.

The concept of drink driving

Dealing with a DUI stop

Being pulled over for a DUI check is daunting, regardless of your gender. You must be alert and practice correct behavior to avoid conviction for drunk driving. Here are some expert-recommended tips you can follow to minimize the risk of being charged-

  • Stay calm because a drunk driving test does not necessarily translate into a felony DUI charge. Acting too anxious or nervous can actually get you into a problem because it may arouse the suspicions of the officer. Consider it a routine check, and avoid going into a state of panic.
  • Besides behaving normally, you must be polite to the officer on duty. Remember that alcohol checks are a part of their job, and they are not interested in you personally. However, rude or unusual behavior can be a reason they may investigate you more closely.
  • The last thing you should do is give excuses to avoid the test because people often do it and always fail. But you can do your best by asking for a blood exam instead of a breath test to check the alcohol content.

Drink driving is one of the most problematic offenses, and a growing number of women are experiencing DUI arrests only because alcohol shows up faster for them. Consider it a physiological disadvantage you cannot do much about. Hiring a seasoned DUI lawyer is your best option. They can pick the right defense strategy to get you out clean. You can do even better by avoiding drunk driving altogether because even smaller and fewer drinks can get you a DUI charge.

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