DUI Child Endangerment
People have enjoyed alcohol for thousands of years. However, we have only recently had to worry about the combination of drinking and driving. Now, researchers know that alcohol can greatly affect your brain, disrupting the processes necessary for safe driving.
There are many different legal charges that can be brought against a person who gets behind the wheel of a car after consuming alcohol. Should you drive with a child in the car while intoxicated, this is considered child endangerment. Child endangerment is a very serious charge that can permanently affect your record. If you have been charged with drinking and driving with a child in the car, you should discuss your case with an experienced DUI/DWI attorney. Contact Rhode Island DUI lawyer James Powderly today at 401-662-9006.
What Counts as Child Endangerment?
Because children are not always able to fend for themselves, the law recognizes the responsibility that adults and legal guardians have for taking care of children. If adults place a child in danger due to negligence, recklessness, or indifference, this counts as child endangerment. It can range from taking illegal drugs in front of a child to leaving an unattended child in the car on a hot day.
Alcohol and Child Endangerment
When you drink, alcohol causes delayed reactions as well as a decrease in coordination. You are less able to make rational decisions and more likely to act recklessly. Because of this, driving a car while intoxicated is very dangerous.
If you drink and then drive with a child in the vehicle, you are very obviously placing the child in a potentially devastating situation. Thus, if you are found with a blood alcohol content at or above the legal limit, you can be charged with both a DUI and child endangerment.
Contact Us
Alcohol-related traffic violations carry heavy penalties for those convicted. If you have been charged with DUI and child endangerment, you should talk to an attorney about your legal options. To discuss your case, contact experienced Rhode Island DUI defense attorney James Powderly at 401-662-9006 today.
