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Recommended procedures for being pulled over while intoxicated

When you are being pulled over by law enforcement and you are intoxicated you should remember one thing, "you are intoxicated and you are in the wrong". So with that into consideration you shouldn't think that you are being pulled over for no reason. There are two simple rules to follow and even though you are in the wrong, doing these two things should help your case and give you the best chance for getting out of the DUI or at least make it better for you when you go to court.

The first one is to be honest. Honesty will go a lot further than lying to an officer of the law. Like I said before, the officer already knows that you have been drinking or under the influence so lying to the officer about it will just make them mad. Not only that, the officer's now will usually record your actions and lies on video and use this against you in court. Video does not lie and if you are caught in a lie then you have absolutely no defense.

I have worked in the dispatch in law enforcement and have talked to the officer's. More times than not, the arresting officer said that they were going to let someone come pick the person up but the person kept lying and the officer got tired of the lies so they went ahead and arrested them. So when the officer asked if you have been drinking or on illegal drugs your best answer is to tell them yes. The number one answer when asked if you have had something to drink is "I had one or two". Be honest with them. I wouldn't go as far as to tell them that you have had a case of beer or anything but be honest enough to let them know you have had a few earlier.

The second thing is to be cooperative with the officer. The more you are uncooperative with the officer, the quicker they will arrest you. The reason being is even if you have just had one or two and you are not polite and uncooperative then the officer will find some other reason to arrest you just because they can. There are so many small things you can be arrested on that even if they can't get you for DUI they will definitely find something. That is the one thing that makes an officer the maddest is when the person being pulled over is uncooperative.

Most officers's now days have a breathalyzer machine in their patrol cars. I know that people have the right to refuse to blow in them. But I will warn you that when you get arrested for refusing, and you will, that will have a bad repercussion when it comes up in court. This is where the old phrase of "Catch 22" comes into play. If you have been drinking and have to blow in the breathalyzer you will probably go to jail. If you refuse to blow then you will go to jail. So that comes down to this. Look at it this way. If you refuse to blow and go to court, the judge has to go off of facts. If you do blow in the breathalyzer then it is recorded and used as physical evidence against you. Just because you refuse to blow doesn't make you uncooperative as long as you are polite while refusing.

The best thing to do is not to drive while under the influence. But if you do decide to drive then remember to be honest and cooperative and you will come out better than if you were to lie and uncooperative.

Learn more about this author, Dustin Anderson.
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