Dublin, located along the north side of Interstate 580, was, as the name suggests, founded on the dreams of emigrants from the Emerald Isle. Today, Dublin is a flourishing city which shares an expansive valley with the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore.
Suppose you leave work one day, and decide to go along with some friends to Gallagher’s Dublin Pub on Amador Valley Blvd. Maybe you want to shoot a game of pool, listen to live bands or karaoke, unwind with a beer and relax with your friends. Or maybe Caps & Taps, on Dublin Blvd. is more to your liking, with rotating craft beers on tap, and rustic, yet “cool” furnishings. When you leave, you feel as though you are certainly not too impaired to drive—so you are dismayed to see flashing lights behind you and hear the police siren.
Women Gaining Ground in Number of DUI Arrests
While being pulled over on suspicion of DUI can be an anxiety-inducing experience for either sex, women may have a few more issues to worry about than men. Although men continue to account for the vast majority of DUI arrests, the number of females arrested for DUI has increased fairly rapidly over the past two decades. As of 2010, men were still responsible for four out of every five DUI arrests. Further, while only about 11 percent of the adult population is comprised of males between the ages of 21 and 34, this group is responsible for nearly a third of all DUI arrests.
On the flip side, the “typical” female arrested for DUI is likely to be unmarried and unemployed, and can be aged anywhere between 20 and 50. Rather than being pulled over for erratic driving, females are more likely to be arrested for DUI following a crash.
Twenty years ago, a police officer might have simply given a woman pulled over for suspicion of DUI a stern talking to and told her to drive home safely. Sweeping changes in the roles of women, however, have changed the perceptions police officers have of females, making them much less likely to cut a woman any slack in the DUI process.
While women should certainly be treated the same as men in this situation, in some cases, the DUI process may be stacked against a woman in the following ways:
- Because breathalyzer machines are calibrated to measure the average male’s lung capacity, women score higher on breathalyzer tests.
- The average woman has a much higher ratio of fat to muscle than the average man, meaning a woman may reach a higher blood alcohol level more quickly than their male counterpart.
- A man’s body is approximately 68 percent water, while a woman’s body is about 55 percent water, allowing the alcohol in a man’s body to be diluted much more quickly than for a woman.
- Women have less of the enzyme ADH, causing them to metabolize alcohol much slower than men.
- Between a man and woman of the exact same size who consume the exact same amount of alcohol, the woman will register a higher BAC reading.
- A woman may be more likely to be afraid when stopped on a deserted highway at nighttime by a male police officer. This fear can come across as guilt to the officer.
- Women who take birth control pills will process alcohol more slowly because both the hormones in the birth control pills and the alcohol depend on the liver for processing.
- A woman wearing high heels who is asked to perform certain field sobriety tests is at a distinct disadvantage. Even if the officer tells the woman she can remove her shoes, she may be just as reluctant to walk barefoot on the side of the road.
If you are a Dublin, California woman who has been arrested for DUI and feel parts of the process were especially unfair to you, it is important to speak to a highly qualified Dublin DUI attorney. The Law Office of Nabiel C. Ahmed understands that many of the standard tests used to determine impairment may not be fair to females.
California DUI convictions can have a litany of long-term, adverse consequences:
- You could spend up to six months in jail
- Have your license suspended for six months
- Pay up to $1,000 in fines, and as much as $2,600 in assessments and fees
- Lose your job or be unable to get a job with a DUI conviction on your record
- Pay extremely high insurance rates
- Have your vehicle impounded
As you can see, the best way to ensure the most positive outcome possible after being charged with a DUI is to speak to a knowledgeable Dublin DUI attorney. Nabiel C. Ahmed serves Contra Costa County, Alameda County, the East Bay, and other regions throughout Northern California. Do not hesitate to call our firm for aggressive and proven defense strategies.
Call the Oakland Law Offices of Nabiel C. Ahmed today to set up a free review of your case. Call us at (510) 907-6600 to start building a solid defense against these serious charges.
If you are already detained, we are also available for phone consultations and jail interviews.