When a police officer pulls someone over, they need to have a reason to do so. It can be minor. For instance, someone could technically be pulled over for driving just slightly above the speed limit or for executing a turn without using their blinker.
The key thing to remember is that the officer doesn’t know for sure that the driver is impaired in advance. So they need to have some other reason to stop the car, and they can then check for signs of impairment. But they cannot conduct random stops and force these drivers to go through breath tests or field sobriety tests. There has to be a reason for the initial stop. This is why officers know what signs of impaired driving to look for.
Common driving errors
There are many common mistakes that impaired drivers make, including the following:
- Breaking the speed limit or driving much too slowly.
- Making extremely wide turns or other unnecessary maneuvers.
- Not turning on their headlights when driving at night.
- Swerving back and forth, from one side of the lane to the other.
- Driving along the centerline, with tires in both lanes.
- Not responding to the events taking place around them in a proper manner – such as going out of turn at a four-way stop or not knowing when to proceed at a green light.
Once police officers have noticed these signs of impairment, they may conduct a traffic stop and potentially an arrest. Those who find themselves facing criminal charges should know what legal defense options they have and what steps to take next.
