Drivers often feel a sense of dread when they see the flashing lights of a police vehicle behind them. They must realize that police officers can’t just initiate a traffic stop without a reason. Instead, they need to have reasonable suspicion in order to stop the vehicle.
The standard of reasonable suspicion is fairly low. It simply means that the things the officer sees that lead them to initiate the stop are things that any reasonable person would agree should result in a traffic stop.
What signs might lead an officer to initiate a drunk driving stop?
There are many signs that officers will watch for that signal a driver may be impaired. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all of these signs will automatically result in a drunk driving stop. Instead, the officer will need to speak to the driver and take steps to determine what’s going on with the driver.
Some of the more common signs include:
- Driving without headlights or wipers active when required
- Swerving in and out of lanes
- Stopping when there’s no valid reason
- Failing to obey traffic signals or signs
Police officers who find probable cause that the driver is impaired may conduct an arrest. At that point, the defendant needs to start working on their defense strategy. This should account for the circumstances surrounding the arrest, so it may be best for them to work with someone who’s familiar with these cases and can assist with getting things set up in your best interests.