Several things can lead to a person facing drunk driving charges. While most people think about traffic stops due to hazardous driving, that is far from the only way that this can happen. For some individuals, the reason they are told to take a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test is that they were in a motor vehicle accident.
A car wreck automatically meets the standard of reasonable suspicion for investigating the possibility of drunk driving. The officer is going to ask you questions about what you’ve had to drink and whether you are under the influence of any impairing substances or not. The officer can also look into the vehicle and see if there are any signs that you’ve been drinking. This could be an open container in the vehicle, or it might be drug paraphernalia in the console.
There is a chance that you will be asked to take a chemical test to determine your alcohol concentration percentage. Most accidents that involve a death or a serious injury require you to take this test. If you have a blood alcohol concentration that is above the legal limit, an arrest will happen.
You might be focused on the criminal aspect of the drunk driving charge, but your legal woes might not end there. Some victims choose to seek compensation for the financial damages of the drunk driving crash. They can file a civil lawsuit that holds you financially liable for the costs of the wreck. You will have to battle this case while you are also dealing with the criminal aspect.