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How Cops Spot a DUI

Written by David O
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How Cops Spot a DUI

Police Officer writing a ticket for DUILaw enforcement officers are trained to look for certain driving patterns that may indicate a driver is under the influence of alcohol and or drugs.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the three most common ways cops spot a DUI are; 1) wide turns, 2) straddling along the central marker between lanes, and 3) appearing to be drunk.

Officers must have a “reasonable cause” or a “reasonable suspicion” that a driver is violating the law in some manner to pull the driver over.  Reasonable cause and reasonable suspicion have no precise definition but it must be something supported by a collection of facts, for example an officer could see a car swerving and that minor moving violation would be enough for a stop.

An officer cannot pull someone over because they may have a hunch that person is DUI, they also cannot randomly pull drivers over in hopes they will find an individual that is DUI.

How Cops Spot a DUI

Here is the complete list of impaired driving signs cops are looking for when searching for DUIs.  The list, provided by the NHTSA, is in order from most common way a cop spots a DUI to least likely way.

  • Negotiating a wide turn
  • Straddling along the central marker between the lanes
  • Appearing to be drunk
  • Near misses or hitting either another vehicle or an object
  • Weaving between lanes
  • Driving off of designated highway
  • Swerving within the lane lines
  • Speeding over 10 mph above the designated speed limit
  • Questionable stops in traffic lanes
  • Tailgating
  • Drifting
  • Driving over center marker between lanes
  • Excessive braking
  • Driving against traffic
  • Questionable signaling
  • Delayed reaction to traffic signals
  • Inappropriate stopping or slowing
  • Illegal or unwarranted turns
  • Accelerating or slowing down quickly
  • Driving without headlights on

Interestingly enough, excessive speeding is not a sign of DUI.  Speeding requires quick reflexes and strong judgment, traits that are usually typical of a sober individual.  However if an individual is speeding and they also happen to be DUI, an officer would be able to investigate that individual for DUI even though they did not initially pull them over for DUI.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the above subject matter you can contact David at david@davidodefense.com.

 

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How You can Prevent a DUI – Tips on getting the Car Keys

Written by David O
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How You can Prevent a DUI – Tips on getting the Car Keys

You can prevent a DUI by taking the car keys away from a friend, family member, or someone who appears to be under the influence of alcohol. Follow these key collecting tips provided by the U.S Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

GET THE KEYS: How You Can Intervene

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Advertising Council’s Innocent Victims public service campaign emphasizes the need to intervene and get the keys away from someone about to drive drunk. Here are some helpful tips and advice from focus group research on how people can get the keys away from a drunk driver.
  1. If it is a close friend, try and use a soft, calm approach at first. Suggest to them that they’ve had too much to drink and it would be better if someone else drove or if they took a cab.
  2. Be calm. Joke about it. Make light of it.Vector Car key ring
  3. Try to make it sound like you are doing them a favor.
  4. If it is somebody you don’t know well, speak to their friends and have them make an attempt to persuade them to hand over the keys. Usually they will listen.
  5. If it’s a good friend, spouse, or significant other, tell them that if they insist on driving, you are not going with them. Suggest that you will call someone else for a ride, take a cab, or walk.
  6. Locate their keys while they are preoccupied and take them away. Most likely, they will think they’ve lost them and will be forced to find another mode of transportation.
  7. If possible, avoid embarrassing the person or being confrontational, particularly when dealing with men. This makes them appear vulnerable to alcohol and its effects.

 

If you have any questions about how to prevent a DUI or if you have recently been charged with a DUI, call David O Defense, 206-459-6392. Our DUI lawyers are here to help!

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7 Things You Need to Know about the Law Firm of David O Defense

Written by David O
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7 Things You Need to Know about the Law Firm of David O Defense

1. The law firm of David O Defense is exclusively dedicated to DUI and criminal defense.

business manBy focusing on only DUI and criminal defense, the lawyers of David O Defense are able to continue to strengthen their knowledge on DUI and criminal defense law, they are aware of any new DUI or criminal law changes, and they personally get to know the prosecutors and judges that handle these types of cases, all of which contributes to better case resolutions.

2. The law firm of David O Defense is comprised of 3 powerhouse DUI and criminal defense attorneys.

1)  David O, senior attorney and owner of David O Defense, 2) Christopher Choe, associate DUI and criminal defense attorney, and 3) Anastasia Kidniz, associate DUI and criminal defense attorney. (Click on the attorneys names to learn more)

3. David O has been practicing DUI and criminal defense for over 12 years.

Attorney David O has dedicated his law firm and legal career to DUI and criminal defense because he loves helping people through tough times. He wants to get the right result for each client no matter how long it takes. He and his associate attorneys understand that providing excellent service requires; hard work, an attention to detail, and preparation.

4. Communication is a priority.

The lawyers of David O Defense make themselves readily available to their clients and are easily contacted by phone, text, and/or email.  They can be contacted day, night, and weekends.  If a client leaves a message they can expect their attorney will reply promptly.

5. The law firm of David O Defense is willing to take a case to trial if necessary.

fighting business manSome attorneys avoid going to trial at all costs because it means more work, time, and energy.  But the attorneys at David O Defense have no fear in taking a case to trial if it’s in the client’s best interests.  The DUI and criminal defense attorneys at David O Defense work hard and fight hard for each and every client!

6. Legal fees are reasonable flat fees, no hidden costs ever.

Here at David O Defense we are upfront about the cost of representation.  During a free legal consultation a client will be quoted a flat legal fee before any work begins.  No hidden costs or unexpected charges will ever be added to a client’s legal fee.

7. You won’t regret hiring David O Defense to represent your case.

The attorneys at David O Defense are not only knowledgeable about DUI and criminal defense but they are also caring and compassionate.  They work extremely hard to achieve the best case resolution possible for each and every client.  Take a moment and read a few of our Client Reviews to see what past clients have said about David O Defense.

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