With the warmer weather, you might be tempted to sleep in your car after a night out. If you need to know whether that is legal, please read on, then contact an experienced DUI lawyer in Baltimore, Maryland to learn what you must know about sleeping in your car while drunk in Maryland.
Is sleeping in your car while drunk a crime in Maryland?
You should always avoid sleeping in your car while you’re under the influence. But, if you must sleep in your car, here are some tips to help show that you were not in actual physical control:
- Avoid moving your car, regardless of the distance
- Refrain from turning on the engine
- Ensure the heat, air conditioning, radio, headlights and windshield wipers are turned off
- Sleep in the back seat rather than the driver’s seat
- Keep your hands and feet away from the pedals and steering wheels
- Place your keys in the glove compartment, center console, trunk or another inconvenient location
- Prior to falling asleep, contact someone and inform them of your plan to sleep in your car until you are sober
Keep in mind that even if you do follow these tips, police can still arrest you for a DUI. Therefore, it is in your best interest to avoid falling asleep drunk in your car. Instead, take a taxi.
What constitutes evidence of intent to drive while drunk?
Establishing your state of mind is crucial in determining your guilt or innocence in a DUI case. Staggering out of a bar with your car keys in your hand, approaching the driver’s side of your car and getting behind the wheel is never a good look. Police can arrest you. In their eyes, you had clear and obvious intent of operating a motor vehicle. Nevertheless, these cases, yours included, are never so simple. Let a skilled Baltimore DUI attorney speak for you.
Contact Our Baltimore County Firm
To fight for the outcome you deserve and need, regardless of the type of immigration matter you are facing, you can rely on the Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC to represent you. We also represent those accused of DUIs or who have wrongfully sustained injuries in car accidents. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with our knowledgeable, compassionate and driven legal team so that we can work toward giving you peace of mind and a bright future in the United States.
