The more time you spend on the road, the greater chance there is that you will eventually drive directly into a DUI checkpoint. This is particularly true if you drive a lot during the evening and nighttime hours.
This can be a scary situation, especially if you have recently consumed one or more alcoholic beverage.
Here are four of the biggest mistakes you can make at a DUI checkpoint:
- Erratic driving: You don’t want to give officers any reason to believe you are under the influence of alcohol. Erratic driving makes you stick out like a sore thumb
- Talking back to the officer: There is never a good time to talk back, as this gives the officer more of a reason to ask you to step outside your vehicle. Remain calm and friendly throughout the checkpoint.
- Making an illegal U-turn: It’s easy to become so afraid that you immediately look for a way to turn around, as to avoid the checkpoint. You have the legal right to do so, but that doesn’t mean you can make an illegal U-turn.
- Explaining your legal rights: Yes, you have legal rights, but that doesn’t mean you should explain them to the officer. Furthermore, don’t make the mistake of telling the officer that a DUI checkpoint is illegal, as this is not true.
If you make one of these DUI checkpoint mistakes, among any others, you increase the risk of an arrest.
If you’re taken away for suspicion of DUI, don’t feel compelled to say anything. Instead, move through the legal system as directed and then learn more about your charges and legal rights.
