Police officers have the authority to institute traffic stops, some of which are because of suspected drunk driving. They can’t conduct these stops for no reason. Instead, they must have reasonable suspicion.
The standard of reasonable suspicion is very low, but it requires more than just a vague hunch. An officer can’t just stop you because they saw you leaving a bar late at night. But, they can pull you over if they see certain signs that point to drunk driving or if you’re driving in an unsafe manner.
What are the signs of drunk driving that officers may look for?
Officers watch for many signs of impaired driving. These include things like driving well below the speed limit, driving erratically, weaving between lanes or failing to use a turn signal. In some cases, officers pull over a vehicle for an unrelated reason or a crash occurs and determine that the driver is impaired.
Once an officer initiates the traffic stop, they will take steps to determine if the driver is impaired. This is done in a variety of ways, including speaking to the driver, conducting a field sobriety test or having the driver take a chemical test. If these tests point to impairment, the officer will likely arrest the driver because those tests may provide probable cause for the arrest.
Anyone who’s facing drunk driving charges should explore the options they have for their defense strategy, but these can be incredibly complex. There are several factors that can impact this strategy, so it may behoove defendants to work with someone who can evaluate the situation and help them plan accordingly.