When traffic stops put you in the crosshairs of law enforcement officials, what you do and say during these stops can impact whether you end up being arrested for and/or charged with a DUI. In some cases, your actions and statements during these stops can end up hurting or helping a future defense case if DUI charges are ultimately filed.
To help you understand the best ways to protect yourself during DUI stops, below we have revealed some of the most common and potentially harmful mistakes to avoid making in these stops.
If you or someone you love is currently fighting Colorado DUI charges (regardless of whether these mistakes have been made), however, you can find out more about your best DUI defense options by contacting a Boulder DUI lawyer at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates today.
During DUI Stops, Avoid…
- Lying to police – Although you do not have to tell police everything, what you do tell them needs to be the truth, particularly when it comes to your identity/full legal name. Lying to police will not only damage your credibility (which can harmful if you end up facing DUI charges), but it may also lead to additional criminal charges.
- Admitting to being drunk – Admissions of intoxication will be used against you later and can serve as probable cause for an arrest. So never admit to being drunk or having consumed alcohol when talking to police during DUI stops.
- Taking the field sobriety tests – These tests are not necessarily objective, meaning that it is often up to the discretion of police to choose what tests to administer, as well as how to evaluate those tests. This ends up meaning that is not in motorists’ best interests to take field sobriety tests, as they tend to provide more evidence for police, rather than dispelling suspicions of intoxication.
- Misunderstanding the consequences of BAC test refusals – The big mistake here is not realizing that BAC test refusals will result in a driver’s license suspension that will last for at least a year (regardless of how the DUI case works out). So, be aware of this consequence when making the choice to submit or not submit to BAC testing.
- Resisting arrest – This can be a knee-jerk reaction when police pull out handcuffs and an arrest is imminent, but resisting the urge to resist arrest is crucial. That’s because your resistance can lead to additional criminal charges (at the very least), possibly complicating a future DUI defense case.
- Delaying a consult with an experienced DUI defense lawyer – When DUI stops end in arrests, one of the smartest things you can do to protect yourself moving forward will be to consult and retain an experienced DUI defense lawyer, who can start protecting you and your rights ASAP. That’s because, after a DUI arrest, you will be facing two cases, and an experienced attorney can start defending you in both, helping you bring them to favorable resolutions.
Contact a Boulder DUI Attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates
Have you or a loved one been charged with a DUI? If so, an experienced Boulder DUI attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates is ready to immediately start defending you.
To talk about your defense and how we can help you, call us today at (720) 863-7755 or email us using the contact form on this page. We offer complimentary consultations, and we take pride in always being available to our clients – 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – so that they have the personal attention their case deserves.