| Seeing a police car with its lights flashing behind you | | | | car in front of you. If you watch motorists driving on |
| can be a traumatic experience, even if you haven't | | | | the freeways during the day you'll find out quickly that |
| done anything wrong. Add alcohol into the mix, though, | | | | no one listened to the driving instructor when he said to |
| and you could be looking at a life-changing event. In an | | | | allow a two-second gap between you and the car |
| effort to help you avoid the emotional and financial | | | | you're following. The reality is that another driver will |
| wringer a DWI arrest can be, I offer you these seven | | | | see that space and pull in right in front of you. |
| tips on how to avoid being arrested for driving while | | | | Accidents occur during the day because drivers don't |
| intoxicated. | | | | leave enough space to stop in an emergency. Get into |
| | | | that same accident at night, though, and the |
| 1. If you drink any alcoholic beverages, don't drive. | | | | investigating officer will be looking to bust you for drunk |
| Unless you are a minor, it is not against the law to drink | | | | driving. |
| and then get behind the wheel. However, once an | | | | 6. Make sure your inspection and registration stickers |
| officer smells the odor of an alcoholic beverage on | | | | are up to date. It's an easy stop for the officer to |
| your breath, a routine traffic stop becomes a DWI | | | | make. Your stickers are in plain view and an expired |
| stop. | | | | sticker is sufficient for an officer to pull you over. Drive |
| 2. Use your turn signal. During the ordinary course of | | | | around with an expired sticker at night and you could |
| the day few drivers use their blinkers to signal a lane | | | | be looking at a DWI arrest. |
| change and even fewer police officers stop motorists | | | | 7. Maintain your car's safety equipment. Check your |
| for failing to do so. Late at night, though, changing lanes | | | | headlights, turn signals, tail lights, brake lights and license |
| without signaling is one of the most common reasons | | | | plate lights. Problems aren't necessarily noticeable |
| for traffic stops that lead to arrests for drunk driving. | | | | during daylight, but drive in an area with bars and |
| 3. Pay attention to the road. We're used to | | | | restaurants at night, and you could find yourself |
| multi-tasking while driving during the day. We fiddle with | | | | charged with drunk driving and spending the rest of the |
| the radio, we pop CD's into the stereo, we talk on the | | | | night in jail. If the worst occurs and you find yourself on |
| phone, we talk to our passengers and we adjust the | | | | the wrong side of a DWI investigation, don't help the |
| air conditioner. Each time we do one of these things | | | | officer prove up his case. You are under no obligation |
| we take a chance that our car will drift or that we will | | | | to answer any of his questions. You are under no |
| swerve a little bit. At night, in the eyes of a patrol | | | | obligation to perform roadside sobriety tests. Most |
| officer, these minor veers become swerves | | | | importantly, you are under no obligation to blow into the |
| endangering other motorists, and a routine traffic stop | | | | breath test machine. Inform the officer in a polite |
| becomes a DWI arrest. | | | | manner that you do not wish to answer any questions |
| 4. Watch those stops. We all do it. At some point | | | | or perform any exercises or tests and that you would |
| during the day you're going to miss that stop line, see | | | | like to consult with an attorney. |
| that stop sign just a second too late or coast through | | | | If you've been wrongly arrested for DWI, you need an |
| an intersection. Do it at night, however, and you are | | | | experienced DWI attorney to defend your rights and |
| just inviting an officer looking for a DWI arrest to stop | | | | restore your reputation. Contact Houston DWI |
| you. | | | | Attorney Paul B. Kennedy for more information and a |
| 5. Maintain an adequate distance between you and the | | | | free consultation. |