Every day, people are pulled over for a suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In Texas, when a person is arrested it’s called Driving While Intoxicated, or DWI. A person who has never been arrested before may have no idea how to handle a DUI charge except for hiring a lawyer in Rockwall TX. While this is a good idea, there’s also a few things they’re going to want to know about what they should and shouldn’t do when they are pulled over on the suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
When the officer turns on their lights, the person should pull over as quickly as possible. It may be necessary to alert the officer that they see them, slow down, and get to a location that’s safer if there is no shoulder on the road. Once the person pulls over, they should turn off their vehicle and keep their hands in plain view until the officer approaches. From there, they will want to follow all of the officer’s directions. This may include taking a BAC (blood alcohol content) test to determine if they are driving over the legal limit.
When the person is pulled over, they should avoid talking as much as possible. It’s necessary to answer questions about their name or address, but they do not have to answer other questions that might be incriminating later if they are charged. They should also consent to the BAC test as a failure to consent means an automatic license suspension even if they are not later convicted of a DWI. This can be from 180 days to two years depending on whether they’ve refused to take it in the past. Once they have been arrested and taken to jail, the person will be able to contact a lawyer to dispute the charges and try to see if there are other outcomes instead of a conviction.
Anyone who has been pulled over should be careful of how they act and what they say before they have a chance to contact a lawyer in Rockwall TX. This gives them a far better chance of having the charges dismissed or having the charges lowered. Click Here to contact the Law Offices of Tim Hartley for more information.
