Being pulled over due to an officer’s suspicion that you’ve been drunk driving is a stressful experience. For some people, knowing what to expect may reduce the stress they feel. This can be beneficial because stress may make it difficult to remember what to do and to make suitable decisions accordingly.
A drunk driving stop typically begins when an officer observes behaviors or actions that suggest impairment. Reasonable suspicion can stem from erratic driving, such as swerving, speeding or failing to obey traffic signals. Other indicators might be driving with headlights off at night or making unusually wide turns.
Initial interaction
Once the vehicle is stopped, the officer will approach and begin an interview with the driver. During this initial interaction, the officer will look for signs of impairment, such as the smell of alcohol, slurred speech or bloodshot eyes.
The officer may ask the driver questions about where they have been, whether they have consumed alcohol and how much they have had to drink. The driver’s responses, along with their demeanor and behavior, help the officer assess whether further investigation is necessary.
Field sobriety tests
If the officer suspects the driver is impaired, they will ask the driver to step out of the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests. These tests are designed to assess the driver’s balance, coordination and ability to follow instructions.
Only three tests are part of the standardized field sobriety tests. These include the walk-and-turn test, the one-leg stand test and the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. The officer evaluates the driver’s performance on these tests to determine if there is probable cause for an impaired driving arrest.
Chemical tests
If the field sobriety tests indicate impairment, the officer will likely proceed with chemical tests to measure the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC). This can involve a breath test at the scene, which provides an immediate estimate of BAC, but that test isn’t admissible in court. The driver may be taken to a police station or medical facility for breath, blood or urine tests, which can provide more accurate measurements of alcohol or drug levels in the system. These tests are admissible in court to prove BAC.
If evidence shows the driver is impaired, the officer can arrest them for drunk driving. This triggers the need for the driver to start working on their defense strategy to fight the charge.
