What To Expect From a Rockville DUI Stop

Rockville DUI stops are becoming more and more common as the city grows. Law enforcement officials are on the lookout for potential offenders and are cracking down. A Rockville DUI lawyer knows the standard operating procedure for DUI stops and is well-equipped to help someone who has been pulled over, suspected, and/or arrested for a DUI. For more information about DUI charges, call today and schedule a consultation with a DUI attorney.

How Rockville Police Look For Potential DUIs

A typical basis for stopping a car is a traffic violation like speeding, failure to maintain lane integrity, failure to signal at the appropriate time, running a red light, running a flashing red light, or carelessness on the part of the driver. These things typically would not get somebody stopped during the day, but officers are on high alert at night, particularly on the weekends. They assume that people who are committing these kinds of traffic violations might actually be under the influence of alcohol.
Therefore, stops for these kinds of violations are more likely to take place at night than during the day.

Questions Officers Will Ask During a DUI Stop

If the officer detects an odor of alcohol they may ask:

• • If the individual has consumed any alcohol.
  • Where the individual is coming from and if they know where they are going.

These kinds of things obviously help to determine whether or not the person has been drinking. They can give the officer a sense of whether the person is lucid, knows where they are, and understands the location. Finally, asking questions can give the officer more of an opportunity to detect an odor of alcohol which might lead to detecting slurred speech, bloodshot, watery eyes or other clues of impairment.

Will Officers Want to Search the Vehicle?

Officers can search the vehicle with the driver’s permission, or if they have probable cause to believe something in the vehicle might be criminal. For instance they may smell marijuana, or see bullets which might indicate weapons. However, they are not allowed to search the vehicle at that point. If they decide to arrest the individual, the vehicle search can come later as a search incident to an arrest, or when the vehicle is towed somewhere.

Is Consent Required For Police to Search a Vehicle?

You need to consent to it for it to be legal, if it is during the traffic stop. However, after you are arrested the officer no longer needs your consent to search your vehicle. At that point a search can be conducted incident to arrest.

Biggest Mistake to Avoid in Rockville DUI Stops

One of the biggest mistakes to avoid is being uncooperative with the police officer. When an individual is uncooperative with a police officer or is rude or combative, the officer might try to use that as a representation of the individual’s impairment from alcohol. If you decide not to participate in field sobriety tests or chemical breathalyzer tests you can decline them, but there is no reason to create more tension in the situation. Doing so could be used against you in court.

Speaking to an Attorney During a Rockville DUI Stop

Based on a recent ruling, in certain circumstances the officer is not required to give you an opportunity to speak with an attorney. DUI stops have been deemed one of those situations where an individual is not given a full right to speak with their attorney. However, most officers will give you the opportunity to speak to an attorney if you have one readily available, for instance if you have their phone number available in your phone and can contact them. It is often difficult to speak to an attorney during DUI stops because they mostly take place late at night, and most attorneys are not available late at night when an individual is stopped.