A Comprehensive Guide on What to do if You’re Stopped for DUI in Texas
You should never drink and drive especially in this day and age with Lyft and Uber rampantly available at your fingertips. However, if you do make the mistake of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated or even just a little buzzed then you’ll want to know some things before it happens. Things that can make or break your case. These things can protect you throughout the incident as well. You should practice these before you need to call Tyler Flood & Associates to help your defense.
Know Your Rights
Knowing your rights is always important in any place or situation. Knowing them when you have been pulled over on suspicion of DUI in Texas is paramount. So, what are these rights?
- You have every right to remain silent.
- You have the right to be free from wrongful search and seizure.
- Although it may count against you, you have the right to refuse any field sobriety tests such as a breathalyzer.
- You have the right to contact an attorney as well as being presented a copy of the police report in your case.
Check Your Behavior
From the second the police officer approaches your car he begins assessing your behavior. He is looking for any little sign you may be intoxicated. Signs such as louder than usual speech, clumsy hands, slurring, eyes glazed over. He will also check if you can maintain your balance if you are asked to step out of the car. It should be noted that any physical impairments you have should be mentioned to the officer. He may misconstrue an impairment as intoxication if you don’t make him aware of whatever condition you have.
Watch Your Mouth
Anything and everything you say will be highly scrutinized and probably used against you when you are stopped for DUI in the state of Texas. There have been cases where people were arrested for DUI when their Breath Alchohol Content (BAC) was below the legal limit which is 0.08% in Texas. Those cases came about because the person being pulled over was testy and or belligerent with the arresting officer and therefore rendered intoxicated.
Do Not admit to having a drink at any point during your conversation with the officer. He will automatically give you the field sobriety tests and probably the breathalyzer as well. Keep in mind the field sobriety tests such as walking a straight line and balancing on one foot are set up to make you fail. So you don’t want to open the door for anything like that if you can help it. The best thing to do is not divulge too much information while being very polite.
If things go wrong and you end up getting arrested for DUI in Texas, then you’ll want to call the best board certified attorney you can find to defend your rights and possibly ease the situation.
