If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are too inebriated to drive but have no means of getting home, it might sound like a good idea to sleep off the effects of alcohol inside your car. While it may be safer than driving under the influence, authorities can still charge you with a DUI if they catch you sleeping in your vehicle after drinking.
How can sleeping off the alcohol in your vehicle get you a DUI charge?
Even if you are completely stationary, it is technically possible for authorities to charge you with a DUI for sleeping off the effects of alcohol in your vehicle. Even if sleeping in your vehicle is not illegal in Florida, inebriation in any position where you are in actual physical control of the vehicle is enough to warrant a DUI charge. Factors that might affect how the court determines physical control include:
- The location of your car keys and how accessible it is for you
- Whether or not the engine is running
- How high your blood alcohol content is
Many drivers believe that they must be in control of the vehicle for authorities to charge them, but this is not the case. In order to reduce the odds of a DUI charge, you can avoid consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel in the first place.
How can you sleep off the alcohol without getting a DUI charge?
DUI laws in Florida are complex, making it difficult to sleep in a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to sober up before driving home, it is important to keep your car keys somewhere safe and out of reach, such as the trunk. Leaving the engine off and sleeping in the back seat or passenger seat is also a good way to avoid being in actual physical control of your vehicle.
