Law enforcement takes drunk driving extremely seriously. To understand why, look no further than a recent incident in Missouri where a drunk driver collided with another vehicle, seriously injuring 10- and 11-year-old children. Officers arrested the woman for aggravated driving under the influence.
There is a lot you need to take care of in the aftermath of a DWI arrest. You want to get in touch with an attorney to represent you in court, and you need to write down all the details of the arresting incident, including the time and the reason the officer gave you for pulling you over. However, there are plenty of actions to avoid doing during this time, too.
1. Admitting to drinking
Many people admit to having a beer or two in the hopes it will grant them some leniency. Police officers do not care about the context. Admitting you drank alcohol recently only gives the officer probable cause to have you take a field sobriety test. You can simply state, “My attorney advises me to not answer that question.” You can also remain silent. You only need to tell the officer your name and provide pertinent documents, but you do not have to surrender extra details.
2. Being rude
Never treat a police officer with disrespect. It will only make things more difficult in the long run, or it could suggest to the officer maybe you did have something to drink. Comply with all requests, and when in doubt, keep your mouth shut.
3. Representing yourself in court
When your court date comes, you want an attorney in your corner. Many people think they can successfully represent themselves, especially if they only had one drink in the night in question. This is always a bad decision. Hire a lawyer who has extensive experience with DWI cases. You do not want to bring on an attorney who only dabbles in this field of law.
