People who are pulled over for the suspicion of drunk driving often want to know why the police officer pulled them over. In order to conduct this type of stop, the officer has to have reasonable suspicion.
In order to meet the reasonable suspicion standard, the officer must see something that a reasonable person would think means the driver is impaired. This is often met by observing how a driver is driving.
What shows reasonable suspicion related to drunk driving?
There are several actions that are commonly associated with drunk driving that officers look for when they’re out patrolling. While there are many that may occur, these are some of the more common signs:
- Drifting or swerving
- Hitting or almost hitting things on the roadside
- Driving too fast or slow for the conditions
- Stopping suddenly in the middle of the road
- Failing to stop at red lights or stop signs
All of those signs can also be caused by things besides impaired driving, so the officer should try to find out what’s going on once they make the stop. This is typically done by talking to the driver and asking the driver to take a field sobriety test to determine if there are signs of impairment and a chemical test to let them know the blood alcohol concentration.
Every aspect of the traffic stop and the reason for the stop may become critical components of the defense strategy. Anyone who’s facing drunk driving charges should ensure they know their options so they can determine how to proceed.