Whoa, get this. 40 percent of all crimes, violent or non-violent, have some sort of involvement with alcohol. Drunk driving, sexual assault, homicide and the seemingly laughable drunk and disorderly crimes all have alcohol as a common denominator.
People like to get together for food, drinks and to celebrate the small and large victories in our lives. Those moments of celebration often involve alcohol, and whether it’s a bar crawl, or just walking to a taxi after a night out, somehow we can still find ourselves in trouble for drunk and disorderly behavior or public intoxication. Alcohol triggers a natural relaxation response – we have fewer inhibitions and less critical thinking. That same response is how people end up with a DUI or other serious criminal charge.
Fortunately we cannot be charged with a DUI or drunk driving when we are not driving, at least most of the time. Public intoxication and drunk and disorderly charges are strictly based upon the behavior of a person under scrutiny by law enforcement. Most people find themselves in trouble for those relatively minor incidents when they are creating a nuisance in public. As soon as alcohol is involved, there is a reason for law enforcement to charge those disorderly people with a crime, perhaps to just get them to quiet down.
However, even if you never plan on driving and are just running to your vehicle to grab your wallet, you could be at risk for more than a drunk and disorderly charge. The moment you sit in the vehicle, even in the back seat of the vehicle, you could be in danger of a DUI charge (and ignition interlock requirement). The risks of any type of criminal charge as a result of drinking are pretty high. It may seem funny to have a drunk and disorderly record, but that conviction is part of a dangerous spectrum of alcohol-fueled crimes that are easily avoided when we drink responsibly.
Parenting Fail: Oklahoma DUI Child Endangerment