By Dale Gribow
Why is it there are so many street repairs at this time of the year? Wouldn’t you think with so much happening now they would hold off for a month? You should realize the Ides of March means Madness in more than just college basketball for those who stay home or drink in a bar rooting on their favorite team. There is so much more to March at this time of the year. Of course everything involves drinking and driving after we enjoy the event. For instance we just concluded BNP Tennis last weekend, but let’s not forget: Golf, NASCAR and St Patty’s. All involve drinking and often in our strong sun.
Of course Coachella and Stagecoach are only a few weeks away and that too brings thousands of partiers to our desert. When we travel we often forget that it is just as dangerous to drink here as it is where they come from. However we all have a tendency to party and drink more when we travel and our tourists are no different.
As a matter of fact we have more DUI FATALITIES here in greater Palm Springs, PER CAPITA, than anywhere in California. If you read our newspapers or watched our local stations you heard of many, many local major accidents in the last few weeks with many of them involving DUI arrests. With Coachella and Stagecoach approaching there is no reason to believe that the DUI and Accidents won’t continue to happen in the next month.
The big question is what should a driver do if they then get in an accident or got arrested for a DUI?
If it is an accident you must:
- Call the police so that an accident report is prepared.
- Hire a local lawyer.
- Be honest with your lawyer and don’t hide a prior accident from your lawyer or doctor.
- Don’t miss doctor’s appointments……ever.
- Always purchase enough coverage in case the at fault driver does not have enough…or any insurance.
- Don’t go the body shop that the insurance company suggests.
- Remember Silence is Golden and Handcuffs are Silver…so don’t talk to the adjuster…ever.
- Go to the hospital right after the accident if you are injured.
- Don’t handle the case yourself…or you will have a fool for a lawyer!
- Ask your lawyer to suggest a doctor with experience with writing med/legal reports.
- Take down your social media.
Now what if it is a DUI?
- Don’t talk to the police and admit anything.
- Don’t hire an out of town lawyer.
- Take down social media so you don’t provide the DA with evidence of your drinking that night.
- Be sure DMV is called within 10 days.
- Ask your attorney to request a STAY with DMV.
- Field Sobriety Tests (FST’s) and Breath tests are optional.
- Request a Blood test.
- The Indio Court demands jail on all DUI’s but you can trade it for an ankle bracelet and home arrest.
I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks and drives and gets arrested for a DUI.
I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE Drunk Drivers for damages to my Injured or Deceased (Wrongful Death) clients.
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE, CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER………THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME … LAW ENFORCEMENT WARNS “DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER”
If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow 760-837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com.
DALE GRIBOW
“TOP LAWYER” – Palm Springs Life (DUI) 2011-2017
“TOP LAWYER”-Inland Empire Magazine Nov, 2016
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