A DUI arrest is serious business. You could face heavy fines and even be placed in jail. The good news is that knowing what to do if you’re stopped can help you protect yourself and may help you prevent serious consequences from the DUI charges.
Initially, during the traffic stop, you should listen to what the officer has to say. Don’t offer up any information that they don’t ask for. You should also know that you don’t have to admit to drinking. You may be asked to take a Breathalyzer test. If you don’t, you will lose your license.
After this, if you are over the limit or fail field sobriety tests, the officer may arrest you.
What should you do if you’re arrested for a DUI?
To start with, something you should do is to write down everything you can remember about your arrest and the 24 hours leading up to the arrest. Why write it down? Over time, your memory may get hazy. It’s better to be able to reference a record of what happened that day.
Next, reach out to your attorney. When you get to the police station, you can ask to call your attorney. You should also stay quiet, because you don’t want to say anything that may hurt your case. Your attorney will then take steps to intervene on your behalf, which could help prevent some damage from occurring.
From the moment of your arrest, the prosecution is already starting to build a case. Your attorney’s job is to make it harder for them to do so and to help you build a strong defense against their allegations.