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If you are a rational person, you understand that the only way to prevent being cited for DUI is to never get behind the wheel after having any alcoholic drink. Unfortunately, even one drink can impair a person's judgment, and thinking you are okay to drive home is a common lapse of judgment under those circumstances. And while you may not actually be too intoxicated to properly operate a vehicle, you may still have a blood alcohol level that exceeds the statutory limit.

As a court clerk for a small municipal court, I am continually amazed at the number of people in our community who insist on drinking and driving, and then provide the most inane excuses for their behavior. "I was only around the corner from my house when I got pulled over." Well, then why didn't you just walk? One of my favorites is, "My blood alcohol was only .09, I wasn't drunk." Well, maybe you weren't "drunk," but you were still committing a crime, buster!

In my state, the law says a person is driving under the influence if he or she has a BAC of .08 or higher, but that citing him or her is subjective based on the officer's assessment of the driver. There are several rigorous tests a person must perform to prove they are not too intoxicated to drive, and he or she can have a legal BAC of .06 and still be too impaired and a danger to others. The ones who scare me the most are the people who have BACs over .2 and still feel entitled to get in their cars!

I do have to say that when I was younger, I drove several times when I had no business doing so. These days, and after my experience with working in the court system, I know better. I personally do not drink and drive anymore, and have taken a taxi or called someone to take me home, even going as far as to get a motel room for the night and going home in the morning. The costs associated with DUI charges are excessive, are not only monetary, and can affect a person's entire life for many years. People have lost employment, had Drivers' and various other business licenses suspended, and even had to serve time in jail. I know I don't want those things to happen to me! Here are some simple tips to prevent a DUI in your future:

1. The first thing a person has to ask himself/herself is: Do I need to drink tonight? People with alcohol problems aside, if you are a regular Joe or Jane who likes to have a beer with the gang on Friday night, maybe the people in your group should take turns being or arranging the DD each week. If you start out by volunteering,

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