October 07, 2014
Lessons Teens Can Learn From the Michael Phelps DUI Case
An Olympic Games icon recently made headlines for the wrong reasons. Michael Phelps, 18 time gold medalist, was arrested for a DUI. It wasn’t the first time. Phelps’ first DUI came in 2003. He followed it up with a damaging photo showing him with a marijuana bong. It’s clear that what Phelps needs now is a good DUI lawyer. However, there are also valuable lessons that he can take away from this situation.
Advice for Teens From a DUI Lawyer
Actually, many young people might benefit from reflecting on Phelps’ situation. As a DUI lawyer I see too many young drivers who take unnecessary risks on the road. They usually don’t understand how much they have to lose until a DUI lawyer points out the serious consequences of their actions.
It’s the difficult task of the DUI lawyer to inform their client of the fact that they may be facing serious fines, jail time and the loss of their driving privileges. However, as any DUI lawyer knows, the ramifications of a DUI go well beyond the immediate future.
What Teens Can Learn From the Michael Phelps DUI
In the case of Michael Phelps, he stands to lose several lucrative corporate sponsorship deals. These contracts with well known brands have paid him millions of dollars each year. Had Phelps not stepped out of line, they would have continued to do so. While Phelps will almost certainly not be dropped by all of his sponsors, it seems obvious that this latest arrest is going to affect his earning potential, perhaps for a long time to come. The circumstances in which he has placed himself make it easy for others to take away much of what he has worked so hard to achieve.
The same can be said for the average teen driver. Even overachieving kids can find themselves in danger of losing it all by drinking and driving. A DUI lawyer helps kids keep their options open, but there are even more opportunities for the teen who chooses not to drink and drive.