What Do Law Enforcement Notice When
Looking for Drunk Drivers?

Police Look For Certain Things in DUI Arrests

Although you may not look or feel as though you are under any “influence” from alcohol, in the eyes of the law, driving when your abilities are impaired makes you guilty of a drunk driving offense… or it could be enough to at least get you get pulled over and harassed by Arizona’s finest.

Technically, any drug – legal or illegal- that has an impact on your judgment, senses, ability to walk, talk, see, or hear makes you a target for a police officer or other law enforcement officials who are looking out for the safety of all drivers on Arizona roads, which means looking out for potential DUI and DWI offenders.

What are Arizona law enforcement officers looking for, specifically, when searching for drunk drivers in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona? When a driver makes any of the following missteps when driving, they throw up a red flag that gets the attention of an officer. Making wide turns, weaving or straddling the center/marked road line, swerving and over-correcting, driving more than ten miles per hour under the limit, erratic or inconsistent driving actions, or abrupt turns.

According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, if a driver shows any or more of these behaviors on the road, they are considered probable DUI offenders. Also, an officer may stop a driver who displays no driving “red flags”, but may have another issue. Arizona law enforcement will eagerly look for other violations just so they can stop you and see if you are driving under the influence. Some of the reasons that an officer may choose to use as sufficient cause to stop drivers are: cracked windshields, a taillight that is out or other equipment violations, broken headlights or tail lights.

Even if you may feel in control of your vehicle, and feel that you are driving carefully after drinking, one routine violation may get you stopped by an officer and arrested.

Obviously, there are other explanations and reasons for drivers to swerve, speed, or fail to stop, but a police officer’s number one reason to suspect a driver under the influence is observation. Law enforcement notice and watch drivers who display inconsistent driving behaviors. Bottom line is, if you get some eager beaver Deputy Fife out there who is itching to pull over people and is looking for drunk drivers, chances are he will find probable cause or what he feels is probable cause just to better observe if you are driving under the influence. The only sure way to make sure that you aren’t going to be arrested for DUI is to simply don’t drink and drive.

If you are arrested for DUI or some other traffic or criminal offense, please seek the assistance of an experienced Mesa, Arizona DUI defense attorney. Having a knowledgeable lawyer review your case may save you money in fines, time in jail, and an unnecessary hassle.

Published By:
My AZ Lawyers – Candace Kallen

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