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Reasonable suspicion for a DUI stop

On Behalf of | Nov 25, 2016 | Drunk Driving

Police officers do not have the authority to stop a vehicle for no reason. Instead, if they feel that a person is driving under the influence, they must have reasonable suspicion in order to pull him or her over.

There are many examples of reasonable suspicion, including but not limited to the following:

— Making an illegal turn

— Driving on the center line

— Difficulty staying in the lane of travel

— Nearly striking other vehicles

— Frequent braking

— Driving too fast or too slow

— Stopping for no apparent reason

— Driving the wrong way down a one-way road

As you can imagine, there are many other examples of reasonable suspicion. All that matters is that the officer has a reason to pull your vehicle over. From there, the officer can investigate further if he or she feels you are impaired.

Although people are pulled over for many reasons, it doesn’t mean that everyone is drunk. For example, you could make an illegal turn because you are lost. While the officer may think this is related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, nothing could be further from the truth.

Since there are so many reasons a person can be pulled over, it’s not out of the question for an officer to feel that somebody was driving under the influence even when he or she is completely sober.

If you’re charged with DUI, you need to learn more about your legal rights. It’s important to implement a defense strategy that will help you avoid serious punishment, which could include a fine and license suspension.

Source: FindLaw, “What is Reasonable Suspicion for a DUI Stop?,” accessed Nov. 21, 2016

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