DWI stop Regardless of whether or not you may have been drinking, getting pulled over by the police is a situation that can be extremely stressful. What you do from that exact moment, however, is what matters the most. In the event that the officer believes that you are under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, there is every chance that you could be arrested and charged with DWI, the penalties of which are severe.
Here is what you should do in the event that you are stopped for DWI in the state of Texas.
*First and foremost, the most important thing to do is to not drink and drive. If you do end up having too much to drink, be sure to have an alternative method to get yourself home, such as a designated driver or taxi. If you were to end up drinking and driving and get into an accident that either injured or killed another person, this can result in charges of either intoxication assault or intoxication manslaughter, which can lead to years in prison and severe fines.
*Another important thing to do is to watch the things that you say. Even if you may have below the legal limit of alcohol in your system, you still can be arrested for DWI. Furthermore, keep in mind that police must have reasonable suspicion to pull you over, so if the officer asks why you know you were pulled over, simply play dumb, but be polite at the same time. Furthermore, do not admit to anything at all, including having a drink that legally was within the legal limit prior to you driving.
*One other important thing to do is watch exactly how you behave. In the event that you end up getting stopped for some kind of traffic violation, the officer will almost immediately begin looking for signs of intoxication. If you are someone who may have a physical condition of some sort that mimics signs of intoxication or that could negatively affect the way that you perform a field sobriety test, it’s important that you let the officer know this before beginning any tests.
*Another important thing to do is to always know what your rights are. These include being free from all wrongful searches and seizures, remaining silent, refusing field sobriety tests/breath tests/blood tests, having a record of the incident even if the arresting officer may not want you to have a copy of the report, and the right to an attorney.
DWI stop *One other important thing to do is to contact a board certified DWI defense attorney. Those attorneys who are experienced in handling DWI cases are those who also handle the state, juries, and judges accountable to the general principle that you are completely innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Many of them are Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specializations for criminal law, and also have the proper experience and legal team to both defend and support your case as well.