Can You Be Charged With DUI for Sleeping in Your Car?
If you have been drinking or are under the influence of another substance that could impair your ability to drive, you should never get behind the wheel of a car. While it may seem like a good option to sleep it off in your car, you may still find yourself in legal trouble if you are caught.
The Law Office of Hillel Traub is a Maryland law firm helping clients who have been charged with a DUI. If you are caught sleeping in your car while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you may still be charged with a DUI even if you were not actively operating the vehicle.
How Can You Be Charged With a DUI While Sleeping in Your Car?
After you have been drinking, you may feel that you can just sleep it off before waking up and driving yourself home. The reality is that you will likely still be intoxicated when you wake up and will be unable to safely operate your vehicle. In Maryland, the legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol is 0.08% blood alcohol content for individuals who are 21 years of age or older. Not only is it illegal to operate a vehicle with a BAC higher than the legal limit, but it is also dangerous and may lead to a severe accident. Although you may not have been operating the vehicle when you were found sleeping in your car, you may still be arrested for a DUI.
When an individual is found sleeping in the driver seat of their vehicle with the car turned on or the key in the ignition while they are under the influence, law enforcement may still arrest you under the pretense that you intended to operate the vehicle while under the influence. Even if your car is off, in park, and not moving at the time of your arrest, if you are considered in physical control of the vehicle, you will still be charged. If you are arrested for sleeping in your car while under the influence, you may face the following penalties:
- License suspension or revocation
- Costly fines
- Probation
- Jail time
- Court-ordered substance abuse programs
Contact a Maryland DUI lawyer to get help building your defense to have the charges against you reduced or dropped altogether.
What Are Possible Defenses for a DUI While Sleeping in Your Car?
If you have been arrested for a DUI while you were asleep in your car, there are different defenses that may be applicable to your specific case that may help in having the charges against you reduced or dropped. Your attorney may build your defense case by claiming the following:
- There was someone else who had physical control of the vehicle
- You were asleep in the backseat of the vehicle
- The keys were far away from you, and the vehicle was in park and turned off
If you have been arrested for a DUI after sleeping in your car, an experienced DUI attorney may be able to help you build a strong defense.
Get Help From a Maryland DUI Lawyer Today
Building a defense after being charged with a DUI while sleeping in your car may be challenging. However, it is not impossible with the help of an experienced Maryland DUI attorney.
The Law Offices of Hillel Traub can help you build a strong defense case with the hopes of having the charges against you reduced or dropped. Our highly experienced DUI attorney is a former lawyer from MVA and is dedicated to helping clients in Maryland protect their rights and interests after a DUI arrest. Call our office at (410) 580-1100 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation today.