DUI Attorney: Tips They Want You to Know

It is a situation that no one ever wants to find him or herself in, but something that a DUI attorney can help you with. Being pulled over on the side of the road waiting for the police to walk up to the window and wondering if you have had too much to drink. Granted there are times when a person knows that, yes they were over the limit, and no they shouldn’t have been driving but for other times it is impossible to tell how much was too much. Of course the correct answer is none and that if anyone has anything to drink there should be a designated driver or take a cab. Back in the real world this doesn’t always happen though and so you are back in the driver’s seat trying to determine if you are over the legal limit. Well before Officer Friendly makes it to you window there are a number of things that a DUI attorney wants you to think about.

Avoid Field Sobriety Tests

Nothing you say can possibly strengthen your case in court. There is a reason they say, “anything you say can be used against you” and not, “anything you say can be used to help you” no one has ever or will ever say anything to the police that makes their situation better. It is best to stick to basic questions like name and give your driver’s license and registration requests and to stay silent to any other questions. Do not answer the question of whether you have been drinking and how much you have had to drink. Also when asked to count backwards or say the alphabet or walk a straight line do not do it. These tests are meant to show how inebriated you are not how capable of function. They are used as tests because they are hard to do sober and very hard to do inebriated. Your DUI attorney knows that the results of these tests are based solely on the perception of the officer. Instead politely decline and ask instead that if you are under arrest you be taken to the station or a hospital to check your blood alcohol level. 

Comply To The Breathalyzer

While it is true that field sobriety tests are not an accurate measure of intoxication, blood alcohol content is a legal benchmark. There are serious repercussions for failing the test but there are even more serious ramifications for refusing. Any good DUI attorney will be able to minimize the results of a test that shows their client was over the legal limit but it is almost impossible to counter mandatory punishments for refusal.

Pick Up The Phone

Call your DUI attorney the first opportunity you can. These lawyers are well versed and highly skilled in representing these sorts of cases. Drunk driving is a serious mistake and it should not be the sort of thing you want to find yourself facing, but it can be a lot worse without good representation. As always, make sure to consult a professional in your region to see what advice is best for you as laws vary from place to place.