What NOT to Say During a DUI Stop to Police

You are driving along late at night and suddenly you see the dreaded flashing blue lights in your rear-view mirror and then the quick chirp of the siren signaling you to pull over. Your mind begins to race as you wonder why you are being stopped. And then you realize that you just passed through a section of town where there are several bars, so you figure that the law enforcement officer thinks that you have been drinking because you cannot think of any other valid reason for this traffic stop.

There a lot of things that you should do and things that you should avoid doing, but for today’s post we will focus on what you should not say. In fact, if you can focus on saying as little as you can get away with you will be doing yourself a real favor.

When we say that you should say as little as possible, we are not encouraging you to be rude; rather, you are just exercising your fifth amendment right to refrain from saying anything that might incriminate yourself. Be civil, polite, and respectful with the law enforcement officer. Ask for your lawyer and keep your mouth closed.

The officer may pepper you with questions, and you might have the urge to explain yourself. Resist that urge and remind the officer that you are invoking your right to remain silent. Do now answer the officer’s questions, do not offer any unsolicited information that you think will benefit you, and maintain your composure.

The most foolproof way of making sure that you do not get arrested for DUI is to not drink and drive. Regardless of whether you had alcohol before you got behind the wheel, you are never required to answer the officer’s questions, explain where you have been, what you were doing and where you were headed when you were stopped. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to ask for your attorney to be present before you answer any questions.

You can exercise your rights without being obnoxious or confrontational. The first time you do it you might be shaking like a leaf inside, but maintain your composure during the process because the law is on your side. Be sure to contact a criminal defense attorney from the Law Offices of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates if you are arrested.

Getting charged with DUI can be a frightening experience. It is vital that you contact an aggressive Franklin criminal defense attorney from the Law Offices of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates right away at 615-977-9370, or fill out our contact form. We can offer sound legal advice and guide you as you navigate the complicated judicial system. We also have offices in Brentwood and Columbia to serve your criminal defense needs.