- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 931
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Question from member
"I am wondering how to handle my situation on secondaries that ask about charges. I was charged recently with a DUI-Drugs violation, which was dismissed on receipt of labs. Unfortunately, the charge still shows up on a criminal background check. (It simply states DUI-D -- Dismissed by DA.)
The charge was made due to failing a roadside test after being pulled over for drifting across a lane line on the Interstate. Contributing factors to my failure include medical history and sleep deprivation. My question is how do I best present this on a secondary? The typical "say you learned from it" does not really apply, since there was little learn other than, perhaps, avoid working long shifts or driving when tired. Unfortunately, those two are not always avoidable things. I am extra careful now not to have any alcohol in my system when driving (even far below the legal limit) so as to ensure that if something like this were to happen again, I would always have a breathalyzer reading of 0.000."
In my view, you should very briefly mention this somewhere in your application. State the facts and nothing but the facts. Something like "I was charged related to a traffic violation with a DUI. However, I had not been drinking at all and the charge was dismissed by the DA."
Say that somewhere and it won't come up again. Well, it shouldn't and probably won't. If it does come up on an interview, be honest but very brief. Do not talk about bad driving due to long shifts......
"I am wondering how to handle my situation on secondaries that ask about charges. I was charged recently with a DUI-Drugs violation, which was dismissed on receipt of labs. Unfortunately, the charge still shows up on a criminal background check. (It simply states DUI-D -- Dismissed by DA.)
The charge was made due to failing a roadside test after being pulled over for drifting across a lane line on the Interstate. Contributing factors to my failure include medical history and sleep deprivation. My question is how do I best present this on a secondary? The typical "say you learned from it" does not really apply, since there was little learn other than, perhaps, avoid working long shifts or driving when tired. Unfortunately, those two are not always avoidable things. I am extra careful now not to have any alcohol in my system when driving (even far below the legal limit) so as to ensure that if something like this were to happen again, I would always have a breathalyzer reading of 0.000."
In my view, you should very briefly mention this somewhere in your application. State the facts and nothing but the facts. Something like "I was charged related to a traffic violation with a DUI. However, I had not been drinking at all and the charge was dismissed by the DA."
Say that somewhere and it won't come up again. Well, it shouldn't and probably won't. If it does come up on an interview, be honest but very brief. Do not talk about bad driving due to long shifts......
