What Do You Do If You Are Stopped For DUI?
DUI stop or pull over usually spark controversies and a lot of questions. Many have asked if police officers have the right to stop them for DUI at checkpoints or otherwise. Inquisitions have also surfaced about DUI arrests in parked cars and other similar questions. While DUI attorneys have tried to answer that satisfactorily with lots of case scenarios and explanation, one common question most people also ask is what they should do after being pulled for DUI.
Here are the things you are expected to do upon a DUI stop;
Pull Over Safely
Every driver must have it in mind that police officers usually begin to take note of them from the time of stop especially when DUI/DWAI is the reason for it. He want to be able to give accurate evidence that you are impaired while driving during the time of the arrest. This is to say that your field test probably start upon the stop. You probably have no impact on the notes he is taking at that point than pulling up safely to give an impression that you are clearheaded. This is because his reports from the way you park could have a significant outcome on the both administrative hearing and criminal trial as related to license suspension and revocation if that happens eventually. You must not be too erratic, too slow or too abrupt. One he notices any of these, he would likely drop a tick in the drunk or impaired column of his report.
Make No Sudden Movements
Officers are usually trained to defend themselves against criminals. This because they know quite well that every guilty individual might want to harm them in a bid to escape an arrest. This will why they would always approach you from behind, making sure they have a proper view of the whole situation. You don’t have to turn abruptly, jump off the car or make any sudden movement as the may want to put up a self-defense against you. Instead keep your hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 o’clock as you wait for the officer to approach and stage further commands or questions.
Pass the Attitude Test
You are expected to be very polite in your address to the police officer. Be polite and le the cop understand that you acknowledge and appreciate their powers. Passing the attitude test doesn’t include confessing that you have anything to drink. Such honesty wouldn’t be considered as being respectful and will most likely work against your defense if recorded. Anything you say can also be misunderstood and reported as slurred speech, rambling or mumbling. It is better to choose your choice of words carefully.
Do not answer incriminating question
Heads up! The police are your friends and care about your safety but they want to have you nabbed for the offense you have been stopped for. In this sense, they might ask you some potentially incriminating question. Be careful with a yes or no question and shy away from defending any claim put up against you. It is a tactic to get you down. You could simply answer that you are have been advised by your lawyer not to answer any questions.
Refuse Sobriety Tests
Sobriety tests are voluntary and so refusal wouldn’t attract a charge. Submitting for a sobriety test could have you booked by the police in his report because it is never an accurate measure of impairment or influence. A lot of reasons aside alcohol, drugs and other hard substances could make you fail sobriety tests. You therefore do not have to give them a chance to have an unnecessary evidence against you even though they could be struck out in court by your attorney.
Refuse Breathalyzer test but submit for chemical test at police station
Breathalyzer tests are considered very inaccurate for a lot of reasons. Many screwed result have been reported and so you don’t have to again allow the cops gather any form of unnecessary DUI evidences against you. However, try as much as possible to submit for chemical tests, particularly blood tests. Blood tests are considered more accurate than urine, saliva and other test forms. A refusal can also earn you a serious charge even if you tested negative for DUI eventually. There are charges against refusal owing to the ‘implied consent’ law for a public road users in Colorado. Punishment here usually include license suspension or revocation.
Pen down everything as details
Your DUI attorney needs a firsthand details of your ordeal with the cops. You are thus advised to write down everything you can remember immediately after your release because you wouldn’t know which would be useful as a serious defense punch for you in the court. Just write… Everything you can remember, write!
Contact a Colorado DUI attorney
This is just the best resort after a charge. You cannot defend yourself because you probably don’t have an accurate understanding of the law or experience with DUI cases. However, an experienced DUI lawyer would always come to your rescue with intelligent defense plans from every details of your ordeal and answers gotten from every questions asked you.
