Every day, nearly 30 people die from accidents related to drunk driving. According to statistics, intoxicated drivers cost the United States nearly $200 billion annually. These are just a few of the reasons why the courts and police take drunk driving so seriously. However, probable cause is needed for police officers to legally pull over suspected drunk drivers. Before seeing a DWI Lawyer in Hillsboro MO, make sure you’ve got a generally understanding of what constitutes probable cause.
What is probable cause?
Generally, it’s against the law for an officer to stop a driver without a legitimate reason for doing so. To justify a stop, an officer must rely on a certain amount of information that would suggest a crime is being committed. In the case of a DWI, if a police officer spots a driver swerving or failing to obey any of the basic traffic laws, he or she may have probable cause to pull them over. If a driver disagrees, they can speak with a DWI Lawyer in Hillsboro MO.
Can the probable cause be used after an accident that leads to an arrest?
In short, many DWI arrests have come from intoxicated drivers crashing their vehicles. After an accident, if police are called, an officer will speak with each of the drivers involved. During this interaction, if a police officer suspects that alcohol was a factor, they may request that a driver participates in a field sobriety test. If the test proves that a driver was behind the wheel while intoxicated, the driver may be arrested and taken to jail.
Can an illegal lane change result in a DWI arrest?
Often times, the smallest incidents have lead to people being arrested and charged with driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated. After being pulled over for a minor traffic violation, a driver’s actions will still be observed by authorities. The smell of alcohol or the appearance of an opened container could be probable cause for a DWI or DUI
Lawyers at the Wegmann Law Firm may be able to answer all of your questions related to probable cause and legitimate arrests. Again, an officer simply needs a reason to believe a crime is being committed to justify a stop. Even an unrelated stop could lead to a DUI or DWI charge.