Date: August 11, 2021

DUI Myth's in McHenry County

To begin, it should be said that you should not drink and drive. Though an obvious statement, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s 2020 DUI Fact Book, 27,046 DUI arrest were made in 2020. In addition, roughly 75% of those arrested were males and 57% were people under the age of 35. Furthermore, 86% of arrests came in the form of first-time offenders and 91% lost their licenses. Drinking and driving is never a good idea, and many myths are out there normalizing the behavior. In this article we will breakdown a few of these myths and explain why they are nonsensical.

Penny in the Mouth Myth

This myth goes way back, and I am sure many have heard this or at least some version of it. The old wives tale, suggests someone put a penny in their mouth before taking a breathalyzer test. By doing so according to the myth, you can beat the test. However, this is entirely false. In fact, the only thing a penny will do is leave a bad taste in your mouth. “Breathalyzers rely on a fuel cell that reacts with the alcohol in your breath on a sensor to indicate how much alcohol is present.”

Food Can Sober You Up

Firstly, people must understand that no amount of food can lower your BAC after you begin drinking. However, drinking on a full stomach can benefit you in the sense you will not become intoxicated as quickly. Lastly, the only thing that will reduce your BAC is time, coffee and greasy foods will not get it done.

DUI's are Limited Only to Cars

Many believe that you can only receive a DUI if you are driving an actual car or truck. However, this is far from the truth. People can get DUI’s for driving or operating numerous kinds of motor vehicles in Illinois. For example, driving drunk on an ATV, moped or motorcycle is illegal and will likely result in a DUI. In addition, you may be charged with a DUI if you are operating a lawnmower, go-kart, snow mobile or jet ski under the influence of alcohol. In many states you can get a DUI for riding a bike while intoxicated. However, Illinois is not one of these states.

Once Your Home, You're Safe

If you decide to drive home drunk and get there successfully, it doesn’t mean you cannot get in trouble. In the event that you drove home intoxicated and were reported by someone to the police you could have a problem. If the police show up and you exhibit the characteristics of a drunk person, they may test your BAC. If your BAC is above the legal limit of .08, the cops can charge you with DUI.