You are driving home from a Friday night out with your friends and then you find yourself in a line of cars all slowing down in front of police officers. The police officers are all leaning over to each and every driver, asking a question, and then the car moves on. You may be frustrated at the traffic jam that this has created or even feel a little anxious at the fact that you actually have to answer a question posed by a police officer.
Do not be alarmed! These stops were created for your very own safety! These stops are called sobriety checkpoints and they were created to reduce the number of drunk drivers on our highways.<\/p>\n
When approaching a sobriety checkpoint, you should obey all signs and instructions that the police officers give you. If a police officer is under the impression that you are under the influence, the officer has the right to arrest you. Even if you are arrested, it would work in your favor to comply with the officer\u2019s instructions.<\/p>\n
There are certain standards that the police must follow when setting up and running a sobriety checkpoint. If you are at all under the belief that the police violated your rights or that the checkpoint did not follow the standards, you should consult an attorney. Many attorneys will research your case and possibly file a motion to suppress the evidence found against you at the checkpoint. Evidence not only includes tangible, physical objects such as beer cans, but also the police officer\u2019s observations he made of you including but not limited to red eyes and an unsteady gait.<\/p>\n
The good news is that you have the power to feel no fear when driving up to one of these checkpoints. If you are going to drink, designate a driver that will remain sober, call a cab, stay at your home or a hotel, or call a friend or a family member to pick you up.<\/p>\n