When someone is impaired behind the wheel, it may be obvious to those outside the car. The driver could make certain mistakes or engage in driving behaviors that make their impairment clear. The specific issues may depend on the driver, the substance that was used and other such factors, but some common signs include:
- Swerving back and forth within the lane
- Driving with the tires straddling the center line
- Failing to turn on headlights at night
- Driving well below or above the speed limit
- Making illegal turns or maneuvers
- Responding slowly to green lights or other traffic signals
- Drifting across lanes
- Almost striking objects, such as parked cars or curbs
- Driving the wrong way down a one-way street
- Failing to stop at stop signs or red lights
Naturally, some drivers may make multiple mistakes at the same time.
Why does this matter?
This is important because police officers aren’t supposed to pull over cars at random or administer field sobriety or breath tests just to see if someone is impaired. They must have reasonable suspicion to initiate a traffic stop, which means they need to witness one of these driving mistakes beforehand.
As such, officers are often watching for the signs listed above. While they may not know that the driver is impaired, the traffic violation gives them a legal reason to pull the car over and begin an investigation.
However, those facing charges may allege they were illegally stopped and should never have been arrested. If you find yourself in this position, it’s very important to understand all of the defense options at your disposal.
