Chesterfield DUI Traffic Stop

With a traffic stop for a DUI in Chesterfield, the officer will ask if you have been drinking. The officer will typically ask how much you had to drink, where you were coming from and where you are going. If the officer smells alcohol or sees indicators of alcohol consumption, the officer will ask you to step out of the vehicle, to perform certain tests. If you’re unable to satisfactorily perform these tests, the officers can then place you under arrest and then take you to the city jail.

When you see sirens in your rearview mirror, the first thing you should do is pull over to the side of the road and if possible, pull over in a well-lit area.

DUI Traffic Stop Process in Chesterfield

Once you’re stopped and the officer suspects you of DUI, they’ll ask you to step out of the vehicle to perform certain tests. These tests usually include what’s called a nystagmus eye gaze test where they’ll hold a pen up and ask you to follow its’ movement. Then there’s the walk-and-turn test and what’s referred to as the one legged stand. In addition, they’ll typically ask you to blow into a sealed breathalyzer or PBT to determine a preliminary breath test. This test is used to determine probable cause for arrest.

At that point in time, if you fail the tests, or if you blow above a 0.08 on the PBT test, a Chesterfield County police officer will arrest you and then take you down to jail.

Where to Pull Over

If you’re pulled over for a DUI stop, you should try and pull over into a well-lit area and a safe area. Chesterfield DUI attorneys usually recommend trying to pull over to a shoulder. However, if you cannot pull over onto a shoulder because there’s no shoulder available, it’s usually recommended to either pulling off as far as you can off the side of the road and/or pulling into a nearest well-lit parking lot.

Getting Pulled Over at Night

If you’re pulled over at night, it’s especially recommended that a person pull over into a well-lit area. That way you can see the officer and the officer can see you. This could be on either the side of the road or if you know a local convenience store or a gas station or even a church that’s close, you could pull in there.

When pulled over at nighttime, DUI lawyers in Chesterfield will generally advise someone to pull over into a well-lit area, turn on your interior light and then quickly obtaining your license and registration to have ready to hand to the officer. It is also recommended that someone roll down their window at least a little bit so that they can easily communicate with the officer.

After a Police Officer Approaches Your Vehicle

Typically, when the officer approaches your vehicle, they will ask you for your license and registration. They usually ask for identifying information. Next, the officer will ask if you know why you were stopped or he/she will come right out and tell you why you were stopped. An experienced attorney has handled these cases before and will know intimately what actions a person should avoid if they are pulled over for a traffic stop. That’s usually how it starts out. If it’s an aggravated case where they’re suspecting DUI or something of that nature, the officer will typically begin questioning you about any alcohol that you may have consumed or where you are coming from or going to do.

Chesterfield DUI Traffic Stop