So, What To Do If You Get Pulled Over For A DUI
If you are pulled over on the suspicion of driving under the influence, or a DUI, there are steps that you can take to make sure things go as smoothly as possible. There are no guarantees for a police officer’s attitude, or the outcome of whether or not you are intoxicated. However, there are ways to assure that things do not escalade to further charges and extensive issues that can result in serious damages. The most important thing to remember is that if you are drinking and driving, you are breaking the law, and it is the police officer’s job to uphold it. Just as you have your job to do, this is his or hers.
- Be polite. You would be surprised how far politeness goes in the eyes of an officer. Do not be “fake”, just polite. Do not get offended if it is not reciprocated, this is a common misconception. They are not your equals when there is suspicion of you breaking the law. This does not excuse him or her from being belligerent, but they may feel it necessary to be stern.
- If you have not been drinking, do not get offended. You should actually be happy that someone cares enough to keep our streets safe. It does not mean that you are being targeted, or that the police are looking for a reason to stop you. It means that they saw something erratic in your driving, and they are assuring that you and everyone on the streets are safe.
- If you have been drinking, do not get offended. You have no right to get upset because you got caught. If you are dumb enough to not only put your life at risk, but other innocent people, you deserve every bit of punishment that is coming your way.
The most important thing to remember is that the police officer’s testimony will way tremendously in court. It could be the deciding factor of your punishment, and your DUI attorney is going to have to struggle more if you were rude. Knowing your state laws is also very important, but it is hard to predict when you will be in the position to need know those laws. For example, some states allow you to seek a lawyer’s advice before you have to subject to a blood alcohol test. Other states do not. Some DUI attorneys will advise you to seek as many samples as possible, including urine, breath and blood to prove what the actual content is. Other attorneys would rather use the variable of the unknown consumption of the last drink’s effect of the Breathalyzer reading. If the presumed to be intoxicated person even so much as belches, the test has to be re-administered in 20 minutes. If someone continues to use this as a stall tactic, it is fair to say they are in fact attempting to stall, and will be charged with a “refusal”. A “refusal” means refusing to take the required form of the blood alcohol test that is attempted to be given by the police officer. In most states this carries some sort of punishment equivalent to a first DUI if not worse. It is figured that if you are refusing to prove your innocence it is because you cannot. |
