Proposed Bill Would Allow Customers to Cap Unfinished Alcohol

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Have you ever been out at a restaurant or theater, relaxing and enjoying a nice glass of wine?

Sometimes at the end of the evening you find that you and your group were unable to finish the bottle. Instead of leaving the partially finished bottle at the establishment, you may be tempted to quickly drink down the rest, so you don’t waste the money you spent on it. This can be a very bad idea. For many people, that last drink can be the one that tips them over the legal driving limit, even though it may not feel like it. That choice can have deadly consequences.

House Bill 284, recently introduced by Delaware lawmakers, aims to lessen drunk driving accidents by allowing consumers to take their unfinished wine and spirits home with them—instead of rushing to finish their drinks and possibly putting themselves over the legal limit for driving. By capping the alcohol and taking it with you, you can finish it in the comfort (and safety) of your own home.

Some establishments under Delaware law already allow patrons to cap their bottles and take them home, but not all of them, and this legislation aims to clear up any gray areas. Under the proposed law, customers would be able to cap and take partially consumed bottles (excepting beer) from these types of facilities: restaurants, hotels, taprooms, motorsports speedways, concert halls and clubs, concessions at racetracks and sports facilities, dinner theater performances, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and caterers.

At the moment, it’s unknown how long it might take for the bill to move forward.

DUIs in Delaware

Of course, the best way to prevent a DUI is to refrain from drinking and driving at all. The illegal blood alcohol limit in Delaware is 0.08, and a chemical or breath test indicating this blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or greater is enough for an arrest and/or conviction.

Penalties for DUI vary widely depending on the nature of your offense. A first offense has potential penalties of six months in jail, up to $1500 in fines, an ignition interlock device, and up to two years’ loss of license. These penalties grow in severity, all the way up to seven or more offenses, which can give you potential penalties of mandatory 10 to 15 years in jail, up to $15,000 in fines, an ignition interlock device, and five years’ loss of license.

It’s important to think twice before taking that last drink. If you can take it home instead, err on the side of safety.

You can take every precaution and be the safest person on the road, but you can’t always protect yourself from negligent or unsafe drivers. If you are injured by a careless driver, the injury attorneys at Silverman, McDonald, & Friedman work aggressively and nonstop to get compensation for their clients in Wilmington, Seaford, and Newark. Call 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form today.