FREE CASE EVALUATION

Why was I pulled over?

A Driving Under the Influence or DUI arrest in San Diego typically occurs after a traffic stop or an accident of some type. Several years ago The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, after performing several nationwide studies involving hundreds of officers and more than 12,000 enforcement stops, created a list of Drunk Driving “indicators.”

Officers are taught that, generally, the probability of Driving Under the Influence or DUI increases substantially when a driver exhibits one or more of the cues discussed below.

Depending on the facts of your case, some of these factors, which may or may not be present, can be used by your DUI attorney to your advantage in court and with the Department of Motor Vehicles during your Administrative Per Se hearing. You can fight a DUI arrest. If you would like a free phone consultation with a DUI lawyer in your area email me at michael.a.richmond@gmail.com or call 1-877-638-4435 now.

Following too closely

Weaving.

Weaving occurs when your car moves from one side of the lane to the other either within the lane or from lane to lane. A person who is driving drunk may weave which an officer could deem as being an unsafe.

Lane Straddling.

Straddling occurs when your car has either the right side or left side tires on the wrong side of the lane marker. Often times a person Driving Under the Influence of alcohol will have difficulty keeping their automobile within the lane. Again, an officer could deem this unsafe and initiate a stop.

Sudden change of direction.

Because a person’s ability to react is “slowed” by alcohol a driver who consumed alcohol may make an abrupt swerve or turn away from a generally straight course, when he or she realizes that they have drifted out of proper lane position.

Almost hitting another car, person or object.

If an officer observes a vehicle, either at slow speeds or moving with traffic, passing too close or almost striking another vehicle (moving or parked), a fix object, or causing another vehicle to maneuver to avoid a collision then the officer could easily think that the driver could be Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.

Making a wide turn

Turning with a wide radius occurs when a vehicle appears to drift to the outside of the lane, or into another lane, through the curve or while turning a corner. Many alcohol-related accidents are caused by the driver’s failure to follow the curve or drifting during a curve.

Stopping - too close or too far away

Stopping too far from a curb or at an inappropriate angle or Stopping too short or beyond a limit line or abrupt stops might lead an officer to conclude that a driver reactions may have been affected by alcohol or drugs.

Speed – too fast, too slow, rapid change in speed.

Speeding, accelerating or decelerating rapidly for no apparent reason, or varying speed, or alternating between speeding up and slowing down, or driving at a speed ten miles per hour or more under the limit will often times indicate to an officer that a person might be Driving Under the Influence of alcohol.

Failure to turn on lights.
A person's inability to pay attention to small tasks or to notice changes in their surroundings might be an indicator that a person’s vigilance has been impaired by alcohol.

Actions inconsistent with signal.

Similarly, impaired drivers often forget to signal a turn or lane change, or their signal is inconsistent with their maneuver, for example, signaling left, but turning right.

Failure to yield.

Failing to yield the right of way or driving the wrong way on a one way street are dangerous examples of a driver not paying attention which could lead an officer to believe that the driver could be driving drunk.

Slow Reactions

If a car remains stopped for an unusually long period of time after the signal has turned green or a driver reacts unusually slow to an officer's lights, siren, or hand signals then the officer could, again, begin to believe that the driver may be impaired by alcohol.

Stopped in traffic lanes without a reason

One of the strongest clues to an officer would be to find a vehicle stopped in traffic lanes for no apparent reason or when he observes a driver who appears to be lost or confused.

Unusual behavior

Unusual behavior includes throwing something from the vehicle, drinking in the vehicle, urinating at the roadside, arguing with another motorist, or otherwise being disorderly.


Driving on other than the designated roadway is another cue exhibited by alcohol-impaired drivers. Examples include driving at the edge of the roadway, on the shoulder, off the roadway entirely, and straight through turn-only lanes.




You can fight a DUI arrest. If you would like a free phone consultation with a DUI lawyer in your area you can email or call 1-877-638-4435 now.