Justin Timberlake has issued a public apology and warned about the dangers of drunk driving as part of a plea deal in the DWI case stemming from his arrest in June.

Shortly after reaching a plea deal lowering his original charge from driving while intoxicated to a lower charge and traffic violation of driving while ability impaired, the "Selfish" singer spoke to reporters outside of the courthouse in Sag Harbor, New York on Friday (September 13) to address his "mistake," saying he failed to living up the standard he sets for himself, per People.

"As you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard for myself. And this was not that," he said. "This was not that. I found myself in a position where I could've made a different decision, but I've had some time to reflect on that and I also understand... that I have a platform, you have a platform, we share that platform."

Timberlake stressed the importance of not getting behind the wheel after consuming any amount of alcohol, adding that there are plenty of other ways to get home, from rideshare apps to calling a friend.

"What I'd like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you've had one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car. There's so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There's many travel apps," he said. "Take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made, but I'm hoping that whoever's listening and watching right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have... Even one drink. Don't get behind the wheel of a car."

The 43-year-old hitmaker ended his statement by urging the public, including himself, to "be more safe."

"I just want to say to everyone who's been involved, from everyone in the courtroom to everyone outside, including the police department, that I'm very grateful and I thank them and I guess in closing, I'd like to say we can all be more safe out there. And I'm gonna do my part," he said. "I hope that everyone else does their part. And thank you very much."

Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor in June after he reportedly ran a stop sign and failed to stay in his lane. An officer alleged the singer smelled of alcohol and "performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests," while Timberlake reportedly told officers that he had one martini before following some friends home.

The terms of his plea deal included a $500 fine plus $260 surcharge, 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choice and having his licensed suspended for 90 days. He also was required to make a public service announcement warning about the dangers of impaired driving.

Tanya Rad

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