St. Louis DWI Law Blog

Opening Day at Busch Stadium occurs on Thursday, April 4 this year, and it is a great time to get together with like-minded fans.

However, all the excitement of a new season could lead to excessive drinking. Do you know how much is too much and how that relates to “per se DWI?”

You may find yourself pondering what level your blood alcohol content is at any given time during your night out on the town, or you may not think about it until it is too late. It happens frequently in St. Louis that police pull people over on suspicion of DWI, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when more people spend the night out on the town. Police are especially vigilant in light of the heavy toll drunk driving takes on Missouri citizens.

You may have taken note of how officers justify and respond to DWI traffic stops on a television show such as "Cops" and "Live PD." You may have to decide if having that third beer puts you in jeopardy of getting home safely or not.

Few things are more rattling than seeing flashing lights in your rear-view mirror after a few beers or a couple cocktails. For that reason, you regularly take steps to avoid drinking and driving. Still, many motorists in the St. Louis area find themselves behind the wheel after a night on the town. 

Missouri law allows law enforcement personnel to establish sobriety checkpoints. Rather than looking for signs a specific driver may have had too much to drink, officers at these checkpoints screen every motorist on the road for drunk driving. Before you come across a sobriety checkpoint, you should know a few things about this enforcement approach. 

Once you receive a DWI conviction in Missouri, it is likely that your life will change forever. Not only may you spend considerable time in jail or prison and have to pay large fines, but your conviction can have additional fallout. For instance, you may lose your driving privileges by having your driver’s licence suspended or revoked. Depending upon the circumstances of your conviction, it may take you years and a good deal of money to get your license back.

Another major way in which your DWI conviction can negatively impact your life is the effect it can have on your future employment. Unfortunately, many prospective employers see a criminal conviction, for DWI or otherwise, as a black mark against your character. They may well give the job to another applicant who has the same qualifications as you do, but who has an unblemished record. In addition, if your preferred job requires a license, the licensing board may decline to grant you one.