Evidently, the Wednesday night before the Thanksgiving holiday is considered to be one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, only second to New Year's Eve.
For that reason, expect massive police presence tonight, namely looking for DUI suspects.
A DUI stop can occur a number of ways. The most common way is a simple traffic violation. Speeding, failure to maintain a single lane, or some equipment violation such as a broken tail light.
Officers will also observe driving patterns, such as weaving in and out of one lane.
Either way, officers will use any opportunity to investigate a potential DUI.
DUI penalties in Florida are some of the toughest nationwide. For your first DUI conviction, there is mandatory probation, fines, and community service hours. Not to mention a mandatory six-month driver's license suspension (on top of any DHSMV administrative suspension), and a ten-day vehicle impoundment (at your expense).
While Miami-Dade County has the "Back On Track" program, a quasi-diversionary program for first-time DUI offenders who qualify, Broward and Palm Beach do not have that program. DUI offenders in Broward and Palm Beach must either accept the DUI penalties or fight their cases in hopes of a dismissal or breakdown to reckless driving.
I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving, but please be careful. However, also understand that you need not be drunk in order to get a DUI. One beer or one glass of wine will put alcohol on your breath and swerving to avoid a pothole could cause a cop to pull you over. I've seen it before.
Either way, celebrate the holiday responsibly, but should you suffer the misfortune of a DUI arrest, please call me.