DUIs and DWIs are both harmful to your life and future. A DUI or DWI has the potential to change your job prospects, lower your chances of having a good income, decrease your chances of obtaining financial aid for school and other factors in your life.
The good news is that a 2018 report discussed that DWI arrests are more likely to get dismissed today than a decade ago, which is a positive sign for people struggling with this mistake.
Over the last 10 years, as of 2018, the rate of people found guilty of DWI dropped to 71 percent from 85 percent. The number of DWI charges dismissed has more than doubled.
Why is it more likely to have charges dismissed today?
One reason is that drivers are more likely to plead to different charges, like pleading to reckless driving instead of DWI. Another possible reason is that more people are being arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs, not alcohol. The state has a harder time proving cases involving drug use, which can work out in the defendant's favor.
Drug cases are harder to prove since you could blow a zero on the breath test but could potentially fail a field sobriety test. A drug recognition expert will meet with you and run alternative tests to identify the drug you might be on, but there's no guarantee that these tests are going to be accurate or identify how impaired you are or were while driving.
If you are stopped for a DWI, there is no time like the present to defend yourself. You have a chance of positively affecting the outcome of your case.