What you say and do during a traffic stop has a significant impact on whether or not you are arrested on a drunk driving offense. Here’s how to handle a DUI stop and how to get legal help if you’ve been charged.
Remain Polite and Calm
The most important thing you can do during a traffic stop is have a good attitude. Don’t show anger or frustration over being stopped. Instead, remain polite and calm.
Provide Your License and Registration
The first thing the police officer will ask you for is your license and registration. By law, you must provide this. If you must reach into your purse or glove box to obtain these documents, inform the police officer where the documents are and ask permission to retrieve them. Do not reach for your purse or glove box without first letting the officer know.
Do Not Answer Questions
As the officer is reviewing your license and registration, he or she is likely going to ask you questions like, “How are you,” “Where were you coming from,” and “Where are you going?” You do not have to answer these questions. You can simply let the officer know that you have no comment. The officer cannot force you to speak nor will there be any legal consequences if you choose not to.
Do Not Agree to Field Sobriety Testing
If the officer suspects you may be intoxicated, you will be asked to step from the vehicle. This is a lawful request which you must abide by. But you may ask why, and the officer will likely say that they would like you to perform field sobriety testing. You may decline to do so, but remember to remain polite.
Remember There Are Consequences to Refusing BAC Testing
You may be asked to take a breathalyzer test. You do not have to, but refusal may mean the suspension of your license. Typically, you may refuse a breathalyzer test and ask to be taken to a hospital or the police station for a blood test, but this usually means you will be taken into custody.
Contact a Lawyer as Soon as Possible
If you are placed under arrest, even if you are sober or you do not believe the arrest to be lawful, you do not have the right to resist. Instead, contact an experienced dui lawyer in riverside county as soon as possible and speak only with your attorney about the case. Contact Riverside Criminal Defense today by calling 951-384-7375.