Alcohol use disorder is a serious illness and one that may make some people more prone to drinking and driving. Rehabilitating a person who is dealing with alcohol use disorder may help them avoid making mistakes like drinking before getting behind the wheel, which in turn makes the roads safer for everyone.
Drinking lowers people’s inhibitions, which is why some choose to get behind the wheel even when they are too impaired to drive safely. While people know that drinking inhibits reaction times and makes them less coordinated, they may not realize how impaired they really are and drive anyway.
Seeking alcohol use disorder treatment could help during your DWI case
If you are accused of a DWI and do have a history of alcohol use disorder, then seeking treatment may be a good way to reduce the likelihood of a conviction. There are some alternative sentencing options for those who are first-time offenders, such as getting treated at an approved alcohol treatment facility, which could help reduce penalties like fines and fees and minimize the risk of a DWI on your long-term record.
Alternative sentencing is the best of both worlds for many cases
Sometimes, alternative sentencing is a great outcome for the court and for you. If you’re dealing with an addiction, getting court-ordered addiction treatment may help you move past it and avoid trouble in the future. At the same time, alternative sentencing helps avoid adding to the prison population or the likelihood of recidivism.
Why is alternative sentencing helpful for those who may have offended?
Alternative sentencing is a way to minimize the risk of harsher penalties. For example, you could face jail time or high fines for a DWI, but an alternative sentence may waive the fines and jail time if you agree to seek alcohol use disorder treatment. The end goal of alternative sentencing programs is to help you be better educated and healthier, so there is a much lower risk of you committing the same offense again in the future.
This kind of sentencing isn’t available for everyone, so it is something to consider along with any defenses that you would like to pursue.
