By: ANCKR DEV May 11, 2020

WHAT TO DO THE DAY AFTER ARRESTED FOR DUI?

ARRESTED FOR DUI CALL AN ATTORNEY

If you have not already found a defence lawyer, contacting one should be your top priority. A DUI attorney helps you understand the restrictions resulting from the arrest and the rules regarding how long the police can impound your vehicle. This is important for keeping you from getting into more trouble or making early mistakes that can affect your charges and/or your case.

In Ontario, you will need to wait for 90-days before you can apply to have your drivers’ licence reinstated and you will want to take to a lawyer about the considerations of this before your first court appearance.

In addition, securing a criminal lawyer gives you peace of mind. They help you properly understand your charges, options, and potential outcomes. Talking to your lawyer clarifies your next steps, letting you know what you can and cannot do and what your priorities should be.

COMMUNICATIONS & ARRANGEMENTS

An Impaired Driving charge can be embarrassing, and you may not want friends, family and coworkers to know. Still, you likely can’t keep it entirely to yourself. Anyone who directly relies on you may need to know if they will be directly affected. Also, some police forces in Ontario are publishing the names and particulars surrounding a person’s arrest for impaired operation of a conveyance.

It’s common, for instance, to talk to your employer. People often take a personal day to sort out matters after such an event. As well, if you drive for work, or during work, you should provide a heads up that new arrangements will be necessary.

You will also want to inform people who rely on your driving. If you usually pick up your kids from school, for instance, your partner or someone trusted may need to take over that responsibility for the time being.

As well you need to set up your own arrangements for how to get around. Whether that’s carpooling to work, taking Uber to the grocery store, or taking public transit to court dates.

For more detailed explanation of drug impaired driving and What a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is the article Drug Impaired Driving covers these issues.

TRACK DOWN YOUR VEHICLE AFTER ARREST FOR DUI

After being arrested for DUI It’s pretty likely that your vehicle was towed and impounded after the arrest. Where your car ends up, isn’t always obvious. The longer you leave your car, the more difficult it is to track it down and the more the impound fees pile up. So you want to find your vehicle ASAP.

A good start is calling the non-emergency number for the arresting police station. They can usually help you find out which lot has the vehicle and what paperwork you require.

If you run into difficulty, your defence lawyer may be able to help you track down the vehicle.

Once you find your car and prepare the paperwork, you need to arrange how to pick it up. After a DUI arrest, it is likely that you have a license suspension. So you need to bring someone else to drive your car home.

GET NEW IDENTIFICATION

If the police have seized your driver’s license you may need to find a new photo ID. It can take a while to get the license back with the suspension time, filing and processing paperwork, completing any court-ordered programs, and paying any fines. In the meantime, you’ll want alternative identification.

Your Ontario health card is a photo ID, but not everywhere accepts it. So even with that, you may want to get another option.

If you don’t have a passport, or yours is expired, it’s worth updating as soon as possible. Even paying for rush service isn’t immediate – urgent pick-up takes up to the end of the next business day, and express can take 2 to 9 days.

CONTACT A TORONTO DUI ATTORNEY

William Jaksa is a criminal defence lawyer with experience handling DUI charges in Toronto and the GTA. He will help you understand your options and guide you through the process to try and achieve the best possible result.

Contact William Jaksa today for a consultation.