How to survive a DUI Traffic Stop
When the red and blue lights flash behind you, your sense of anxiety and heartbeat increase significantly. When you see the lights, it is important to get over to the right and pull off the road as far and as safely as possible. Anytime a Tukwila police officer or Washington State Trooper believes a crime or infraction has been committed, he or she may pull you over and you must stop.
A law enforcement officer will then ask for your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance, which you should provide.
How much alcohol did you consume?
If the officer suspects that you are intoxicated, you are likely to be asked to step out of the vehicle. He or she may even ask that you perform a field sobriety test, which can include:
- a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test,
- a Walk and Turn test, or
- a One Leg Stand test.
Field sobriety tests are often used as a method to determine probable cause for an arrest.
An officer may also ask that you blow into a breathalyzer (the Draeger Instrument). A breathalyzer is designed to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC). The per se legal limit is 0.08% in Washington. If your BAC is 0.08% or higher, you will be arrested and taken to jail for another breath test or a blood or urine test.
Drivers under the age of 21 can be arrested for a BAC of 0.02% or higher, and drivers of commercial vehicles can be arrested for a BAC of 0.04% or higher. You can also be arrested with no evidence of your actual BAC level so long as the officer believes you to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Refusing to consent to chemical tests can result in the automatic suspension of your driver's license. You are legally allowed to refuse, but it is considered a violation of the "implied consent" law and your license will typically be automatically suspended for 1 year. A prosecutor can also use your refusal as evidence against you in court.
What to avoid during a traffic stop?
While you should comply with any instructions provided by the police officer, there are certain things you are not required to do. You have a constitutional right to remain silent and not to incriminate yourself by answering questions.
This means you do not have to answer an officer's questions about whether you were drinking or doing drugs. When asked these questions, it is best to remain silent. Lies to officers will do you no good, and any admissions can be used against you. Silence, however, cannot be used against you. If you feel pressured, ask to speak to a DUI defense attorney. A request for an attorney will end all questions.
Consult our Washington DUI Lawyers
If you or someone you care about has been arrested for DUI in Washington, you need an experienced DUI attorney to defend your case and protect your constitutional rights.
Experienced DUI attorney James Curtis at The Curtis Firm can help with your DUI case. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
