6 Facts to Know about DUI Stops (Pt. 1)

Talking to police officers can be an unnerving experience, especially when you may be suspected of drunk driving or some other crime. While you may feel, however, that you have no control or power in these situations, being informed about what happens during DUI stops, as well as what you can do to protect your rights during them, can empower you, allowing you to make smart decisions that can help you look out for your own interests.

To shed some more light on what to expect and do during DUI stops, in this three-part blog series, we will point out some of the most important things to know about these traffic stops.

If, however, you are facing DUI charges and are more concerned about building your defense for an upcoming criminal case, you can turn to the trusted Colorado Springs DUI lawyers at Kohn Law Firm for the best possible defense and aggressive legal advocacy.

DUI Stops: Here’s What You Should Know

Fact 1 – Expect to be asked to submit to field sobriety testing.

If a traffic cop pulls you over under suspicion of drunk driving, it usually means that the officer has observed you driving erratically and/or possibly even breaking a traffic law. This, in turn, generally means that, once a cop notices something like red, watery eyes or other possible signs of intoxication upon speaking with you, he will most likely ask that you submit to field sobriety testing to further evaluate whether you are likely drunk.

With field sobriety testing during DUI stops, however:

• You can legally refuse to submit to this testing.
• Your refusal to undergo field sobriety testing will NOT result in any automatic penalties.
• You should strongly consider not undergoing this testing if you’re not going to “pass” it for whatever reason (as your failure can provide police with further evidence against you even if you failed for reasons other than being intoxicated).

Fact 2 – Expect to be asked to submit to chemical testing.

During DUI stops, one thing that motorists should always suspect is that law enforcement officials will ask them to take a breathalyzer, submit to a blood test or submit to some other form of chemical testing to assess their blood alcohol concentrations (BACs).

With chemical testing during DUI stops, you should be aware that:

• You can refuse to submit to BAC testing.
• Refusals for this testing WILL result in an automatic one-year driver’s license suspension, regardless of whether you are ultimately charged with or convicted of DUI.
• Refusals to submit to chemical testing can have additional impacts if you are eventually convicted of drunk driving, as you could end up having to have ignition interlock devices on your vehicle for longer periods of time, etc.

To find out some more important facts about DUI stops, be sure to check out the additional parts of this blog series that will be published soon.

Colorado Springs DUI Lawyers at Kohn Law Firm

Have you or a loved one been charged with drunk driving? If so, the Colorado Springs DUI lawyers at Kohn Law Firm are ready to aggressively defend your rights and help you bring your case to a successful resolution.

To learn more about how we can help you, set up a free initial consultation with us by calling us at (719) 328-9555 or by emailing us using the contact form at the top of this page. From our offices in Colorado Springs, we represent clients throughout the Pikes Peak region and Colorado.