If you plan on watching the Super Bowl and enjoying a few drinks with friends, make sure you don’t drive. Statistics show that there is a 77 percent increase in alcohol-related crashes causing injury or death on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other Sunday in January or February. It is therefore no surprise that DUI arrests also surge during this time.
Keep the following information on DUI checkpoints in mind:
- Police don’t have to have reasonable suspicion to pull you over at a checkpoint.
- Police are not allowed to search your vehicle at a checkpoint unless you consent – so don’t consent!
- Never attempt to avoid a checkpoint – this could be construed as fleeing police.
- If you have not been placed under arrest, you don’t legally have to get out of your car for the police.
- Law enforcement cannot keep you for an unreasonable amount of time at a checkpoint. If you feel you are being held excessively, ask if you are being detained. If you are not, they must let you go.
- Officers can utilize drug dogs at checkpoints, which may give them the reasonable suspicion they need to search your vehicle.
- You are not lawfully obligated to submit to field sobriety tests at a checkpoint, but you may be arrested and taken for chemical testing. Failure to take the chemical tests can result in an automatic suspension of your driving privileges.
When it comes to your liberty, there is no time to waste in seeking effective legal aid. A conviction for a first-time offense can result in several serious and inconvenient consequences, including at least 10 days in jail, a fine of $1,250, installation of an ignition interlock device (IID) in every vehicle you drive (at your expense), and required completion of an alcohol/drug screening, treatment, and education program.
Don’t let Super Bowl Sunday turn into DUI Monday. If you find yourself in need of a Phoenix DUI defense lawyer, turn to Knowles Law Firm, PLC for experienced representation. Free and confidential consultations are available when you call (602) 702-5431.