Washington DC’s DUI laws leave a great deal of discretion to the investigating police officer. This allows impairment to be determined by a flawed set of subjective factors. These test indicators are later used as circumstantial evidence against you. Any traffic violation, whether it is a faulty tail light or erratic driving behavior, gives law enforcement officers the needed “reasonable suspicion” to conduct a traffic stop on your vehicle. This can often be the first of many factors used by the officer to determine your level of suspected impairment.
The officer can find further cause to pursue a DUI/DWI arrest through the conduct and appearance of the driver. Officers are trained to engage drivers in conversations with the intention of revealing specific indicators of impairment, such as:
- Disheveled appearance
- Difficulty finding personal effects and required information
- Bloodshot eyes
- Smelling of alcohol
- Difficulty responding to questions
- Slurred speech
It is important to foresee preventable traffic violations and impairment cues by organizing your registration, checking all signaling lights regularly, and maintaining your vehicle in a good state of repair. Bent fenders, roaring mufflers, body damage, and obvious illegal modifications such as overly tinted windows can give law enforcement justification to pull you over. Law enforcement officers will meticulously record anything that implicates impairment. Therefore, do not engage in unnecessary discourse. Anything you say or do can be used against you in a criminal trial. |
