Even though most people understand the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol, mistakes happen from time to time. If you find yourself pulled over for suspicion of DUI, it’s important that you remain calm and take all the right steps.
The most important thing to remember is that just because you’ve been drinking doesn’t mean you’ll be arrested for driving under the influence. You can improve the likelihood of avoiding trouble by taking these steps:
Immediately pull over: Don’t give the officer any reason to believe you’re trying to get away. Pull to the shoulder of the road, put on your hazard lights and stay in your vehicle.
Remain courteous: It’s not always easy to bite your tongue, especially if the officer is treating you poorly, but remaining courteous throughout the conversation is a must.
You don’t have to talk: While it’s okay to share basic information with police, you do have the right to remain silent if you’re not comfortable answering a question. You don’t want to say something that could be used against you in the future.
Telling the truth isn’t likely to help: Saying “I’ve had a few drinks” or “I was drinking, but I feel okay to drive” will come back to bite you later. In fact, it will probably give the officer more reason to ask you to submit to a field sobriety test.
Remain calm: There’s never a good time to get worked up, especially if you are put under arrest. If you resist arrest, it could lead to additional criminal charges.
If you’re facing DUI charges, learn more about your legal rights and the defense strategy you can use to avoid a conviction and the penalties associated with it.