Police officers are responsible for keeping the people in their jurisdictions safe. One part of this is ensuring that they keep drunk drivers off the streets. They can do this by watching for signs of impairment and conducting traffic stops.
To lawfully initiate a traffic stop, police officers must have reasonable suspicion. This means that the signs they see would lead a reasonable person to believe the driver is impaired.
What are some signs that signal drunk driving?
There are many signs of drunk driving, some of which mimic fatigued or distracted driving. These include swerving between lanes, crossing the center line, failing to obey traffic devices, failing to turn on headlights when necessary and hitting objects on the side of the road. Other actions may also be present, so it’s up to the officer to evaluate the situation and make a determination about the ability of the driver to operate their vehicle safely.
What happens during the traffic stop?
During a traffic stop that’s due to reasonable suspicion of drunk driving, the police officer will talk to the driver to determine what’s going on. If they notice signs of impairment, such as the smell of alcohol or the driver slurring when they speak, they may ask the driver to provide a breath sample or take a field sobriety test.
The results of those may lead to a drunk driving arrest. Drivers facing this charge should ensure they work with someone who can help them to develop their defense strategy and understand their options.