DUI checkpoints are static stops in which police stop every car and inspect it for suspicion of drunk or drugged driving. Checkpoints are used by all law enforcement agencies across the country. This post will go over the nine mistakes to avoid when you go through a...
Field Sobriety Tests
Challenging a field sobriety test, Part 2
You may think that failing a field sobriety test sealed your fate. You were done and subject to prosecution. But failing the field sobriety test is only the beginning. As discussed in a previous post, there are numerous ways to challenge the validity of a field...
ADHD and failing the field sobriety test
Often in a police report, the officer will note if a person was fidgety, interrupted the officer, began the test too early or made careless mistakes. Many courts interpret these notes as evidence of intoxication but what if they were merely indications of another...
What happens if you refuse or fail a breathalyzer test?
Once you are pulled over by a police officer on suspicion of drunken driving, you face severe penalties. The officer will administer a field sobriety test, which you may accept or refuse. This post will go over your options if you refuse to submit to the field...
Challenging a field sobriety test, Part 1
The field sobriety test is a series of exercises that police administer to people they suspect of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The tests are designed to assess the coordination of the driver and their capability to operate. But, like any...
Technology competition comes up with new ideas to combat drunk driving
In 2015, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism launched a competition to encourage technology start-up companies and universities to submit wearable devices to curb drunken driving rates. The companies came up with several wrist-worn devices that...
SCRAM bracelets: an “ignition interlock” for your ankle
The criminal justice system is always looking for the latest technologies to control and limit criminal behavior. DUI/DWI crimes have been a frequent subject of this innovation from the breathalyzer to ignition interlock devices. The government is always pulling out...
How do field sobriety tests work? Part 2
Field sobriety tests sound scarier than they are in reality. All these tests do is measure your muscle coordination. While you go through the tests, the officers observe you for certain behavioral markers that indicate that your judgment is compromised. If you exhibit...
How do field sobriety tests work? Part 1
Field sobriety tests work by putting your mind and body through a series of exercises designed to test your coordination, attention and focus. If you fail the test, the presumption is that you were impaired and are then subject to arrest. There are three types of...
The justification to pull cars over
This article will address only DUI stops as they pertain to traffic stops, not DUI checkpoints. If a police officer sees you speeding or changing lanes without signaling, then the officer may pull you over and give you a ticket. In that situation, the officer has both...