There are numerous campaigns to warn people about the dangers of drinking and driving. Even so, the 2018 holiday season in Arizona saw an increase in DUI arrests compared to the same period in 2017.
Even if individuals only have one alcoholic drink, they can still become impaired to the point where police can arrest them. Police can arrest someone for DUI if it seems as though he or she is a danger on the roadways. This is evident by certain behaviors. While the police need a reason to pull someone over, the following actions are more than enough to justify a traffic stop.
1. Going over or under the speed limit
Going over the speed limit is a common traffic offense. The police will pull a vehicle over, and the driver may receive a ticket even if there is no evidence he or she consumed alcohol. However, the cops can also use a vehicle going well below the speed limit as an excuse to pull someone over. Depending on the flow of traffic, going 10 miles under the speed limit can be just as dangerous as speeding.
2. Changing lanes too frequently
Police pay attention to whether a car stays in its lane. Many impaired drivers tend to swerve haphazardly in and out of different lanes, trying to maintain control of the car. Even if a driver uses a turn signal to change lanes, doing it too often can be cause for concern.
3. Maneuvering through traffic aggressively
Some behaviors are not necessarily illegal, but they can be reason enough for an officer to stop a vehicle. The problem with this is that the officer’s rationale may be entirely subjective, but a judge may not see it that way. This is why it is critical to have eyewitness testimony as part of a case. When someone can attest to how well a person was driving, it may cause the judge to throw out the case because there was no valid reason for the stop.
