If you've excessively consumed alcohol outside of your home in the past, there's a very high chance that you've been intoxicated in public. Hopefully, you didn't encounter a police officer during this time, but you should be mindful of the fact that it could happen during a future drinking session. While many officers will give you a warning to get home quickly when you're drunk in public, others will arrest you. This will leave you with a public intoxication arrest on your record, which is a misdemeanor but gives you a record nonetheless. While a good misdemeanor defense lawyer can help you to fight this charge, you should always endeavor to avoid finding yourself in this position to begin with. Here are three ways that you can avoid a public intoxication arrest.

Know Your Habits As A Drinker

If you do frequently drink excessively, it's important to know how much alcohol you can handle before you begin to show signs of intoxication. For some people, three beers can have them stumbling and slurring their words; for others, it takes considerably more alcohol until they're in this state. Many people can be out and about in public after having consumed a lot of alcohol, but they aren't apt to have an encounter with the police because they don't appear intoxicated. You should endeavor to know your limit and stay below it.

Go Home Before You Finish Drinking

Many people enjoy going out to drink excessively, but this could potentially leave you at risk of being arrested for public intoxication. One thing to remember about drinking is that if you're doing it at home, you're not in public — and thus won't get a public intoxication arrest. If you plan to drink excessively at a local establishment, consider having a few drinks while you're out and then taking the party back to your house. By the time you're heavily intoxicated, you'll no longer be out in public.

Have A Non-Drinker Around You

Having a designated driver when you're out drinking is important as a way to get you home safely, but you can also rely on this individual to be a positive influence. Many peoples' actions while drunk can lead to interactions with the police, whether it's urinating on the street, yelling at passing cars, or attempting to climb a light pole. When you have a trusted sober friend with you, he or she can quickly convince you to curb these behaviors and avoid a police encounter.