| If you're sober, then you've got nothing to worry | | | | - Swerving 55 |
| about, right? Not necessarily. The problem with being | | | | - Slow Speed (more than 10 miles per hour below |
| singled out of traffic as a possible DUI is that the | | | | limit) 50 |
| officer has already formed certain expectations: He is | | | | - Stopping (without cause) in Traffic Lane 50 |
| psychologically predisposed to "see" what he expects | | | | - Drifting 50 |
| to see -- and he expects to see an inebriated person | | | | - Following too closely 45 |
| behind the wheel. So reddish eyes from fatigue, | | | | - Tires on Center or Lane Marker 45 |
| alcohol on the breath from a single drink, and nervous | | | | - Braking Erratically 45 |
| fumbling with your wallet trying to get your driver's | | | | - Driving Into Opposing or Crossing Traffic 45 |
| license will be seen as corraborating these suspicions. | | | | - Signaling Inconsistent with Driving Actions 40 |
| And then your future is going to depend upon | | | | - Stopping Inappropriately (other than in lane) 35 |
| performing well on field sobriety tests -- tests which | | | | - Turning Abruptly or Illegally 35 |
| are notoriously difficult for anyone to pass. | | | | - Accelerating or Decelerating Rapidly 30 |
| So how do you avoid being pulled over in the first | | | | - Headlights Off 30 |
| place? Well, it helps to know exactly what the police | | | | The NHTSA research indicates that symptoms are |
| are looking for. Most of them have been taught what | | | | rarely seen in isolation; officers usually see a number |
| driving symptoms indicate the relative probability that | | | | of driving symptoms before pulling the suspect over. |
| the driver is intoxicated. This training is usually based | | | | And the chances of a driver being intoxicated when |
| upon research conducted by the federal National | | | | multiple symptoms are observed can also be |
| Highway Traffic Safety Administration and | | | | calculated: "When two or more cues are seen, add 10 |
| reproduced in a booklet intended primarily for law | | | | to the highest value among the cues observed." For |
| enforcement, "Guide for Detecting Drunk Drivers at | | | | example, if the subject is observed to be weaving |
| Night". The booklet contains a "DUI Detection Guide", | | | | (60) and following too closely (45), there are 70 |
| which identifies the 19 most common and reliable initial | | | | chances out of 100 that his blood-alcohol is above |
| indicators of drunk driving - along with the | | | | the legal limit. |
| percentage probability that the driver exhibiting the | | | | Speeding, incidentally, is not a symptom of DUI. |
| symptom is, in fact, under the influence. The | | | | Because of the need for quicker judgment and |
| following is a list of the symptoms and the probability | | | | reflexes, it may actually indicate sobriety. You may |
| of intoxication. Thus, for example, the research | | | | get stopped for speeding, but at least you won't |
| indicates that "the chances are 65 out of 100" that a | | | | have the officer approaching your car expecting to |
| driver who is making a wide turn or straddling a lane | | | | make a DUI arrest. |
| line has a blood-alcohol concentration above the legal | | | | So if you're driving home late some night, keep in |
| limit. | | | | mind what the police are looking for -- and drive |
| - Turning with Wide Radius 65 | | | | accordingly. |
| - Straddling Center or Lane Marker 65 | | | | Lawrence Taylor is a former prosecutor, law |
| - Appearing to be Drunk 60 | | | | professor and author of "Drunk Driving Defense, 5th |
| - Almost Striking Object or Vehicle 60 | | | | edition". You can visit Orange County DUI Lawyers to |
| - Weaving 60 | | | | get more information about his law firm with offices |
| - Driving on Other Than Designated Roadway 55 | | | | in Orange County, California. |