Bars are part of the American Social Fabric. There is nothing wrong with having a beer or cocktail at your favorite bar after a long day at the office. Career stress, office politics, money troubles, family issues, personal problems, and just general exhaustion are reasons to unwind with some friends over cold drinks at your local watering hole. There is nothing wrong with decompressing in the comfort of good company and a fun and familiar atmosphere. In fact, it might be nice to go to a place “Where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came” just like it says in the theme to the classic TV show, Cheers.

However, sometimes one round becomes one drink too many, and you may no longer be in the best state to make a decision about your driving ability. Neither are your bar mates and drinking buddies in the right state of mind to assess your driving ability. And even if the bar tender cuts you off, which is their responsibility to do so, you still may need to sober up before you leave the bar. Getting to the bar is easy; leaving is a whole other issue.

But maybe you don’t sober up. Maybe you feel like you’re able to drive your vehicle from the bar to your home. And this is where the risk begins—once you put the keys in the ignition and put your car in drive, you are now responsible for your behavior on the road. It is an unnecessary risk at that too; why not take a cab, Uber or Lyft?

It’s ironic because you’re gambling with the very thing you will lose—your driving privileges—if you are caught driving under the influence. And this is the least of your concerns if anybody else is involved. If you’re involved in a car accident with someone else, they can even sue your favorite bar—the place where you go to unwind—for damages. Oh yeah, and they can sue you too.

However, mistakes happen. People over estimate their alcohol tolerance, so they end up in a situation where they are in over their head. Even though this may feel like the time to wallow in self-pity over poor choices while repeating “I should’ve known better,” you have to jump on this situation right away before it further disrupts your life. This is the time to get help. And Mark A. Gallagher is here to help you. The Law Offices of Mark A. Gallagher have over 10 years of experience of practicing criminal law in Southern California; we’ve seen thousands of cases since then, and we’re ready, willing, and able to provide you with the professional legal representation you need. We are here to help you and get your life back on track. We want you to go back to that place, “Where everybody knows your name.”