Police officers on traffic patrol can stop anyone who seems to have broken the law. They have the authority to either arrest drivers or issue citations. More serious traffic violations may lead to criminal charges rather than a simple traffic ticket.
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges are among the most serious traffic offenses that people can commit. Those accused of a DWI are at risk of jail time or probation, significant financial consequences and a driver’s license suspension.
Police officers generally gather as much evidence as they can of an alleged drunk driving incident. What types of evidence do officers typically collect in traffic to support the prosecution of drunk drivers?
Video of poor driving
Dashboard-mounted camera systems in police cruisers can provide clear evidence that an officer had reason to worry about a driver’s conduct. Video of a motorist swerving all over the street, stopping without reason and otherwise posing a threat to others can help establish that they were not sober enough to drive safely.
Field sobriety test results
Police officers who suspect driver intoxication often look for ways to validate their concerns. They may ask drivers to submit to field sobriety tests. Police officers ask drivers to exit the vehicle and perform a series of simple tasks. Field sobriety tests have high rates of false positives, but they are also considered an important form of evidence in many DWI cases.
Chemical test results
Police officers who are ready to arrest a driver who seems drunk usually ask them to submit to a chemical breath test at that point. Implied consent laws put drivers at risk of additional consequences if they refuse chemical testing after an arrest. Even those who did not drive poorly could be vulnerable to prosecution based on chemical test results. Depending on the type of evidence that the state gathered, there are several different defense strategies that can help drivers avoid DWI convictions.
Reviewing what happened before a DWI arrest with a skilled legal team can help motorists respond appropriately. With the right strategy, drivers may be able to avoid a conviction that could result in a lifelong criminal record and result in a variety of other consequences.