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Holidays Mean More Celebrations, More Highway DUI Checkpoints

The holiday season means more celebrations and parties to bring friends and family together. At the same time, it means an increase in highway patrol vehicles on the road and DUI checkpoints set up at busy intersections, especially as the month progresses. When you are traveling from point A to point B in the coming weeks, you will be all the more likely to encounter either a mandatory checkpoint or a police officer looking for a drunk driver. Do you know what to do if you get pulled over?

Stay Safe for the Holidays by Driving Responsibly

The first thing you should do is always do what you can to drive safely and responsibly by never drinking and driving. Arrange for designated drivers at any event you attend. When you host a holiday party of your own, keep an eye on your guests to prevent anyone who may drive later from becoming overly-inebriated.

By making certain you do not drink and drive, you should dramatically reduce your chances of being pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI). However, there is always a chance a highway patrol officer will mistakenly pull you over after receiving a report of a similar vehicle driving dangerously, or another such circumstance. Of course, you could also drive straight into a DUI checkpoint on the way home from a party.

Know Your Rights During a DUI Stop

DUI checkpoints are routinely established along busy highways and at popular intersections to catch intoxicated drivers in the act. You should expect to see such checkpoints appear each weekend in December, as well as the first weekend in January, when holiday celebrations are likely to occur. When you drive into a DUI checkpoint, you need to cooperate with police officers before continuing, even if you have not had a single drink.

As you approach the DUI checkpoint, get your driver’s license ready and roll your windows down about halfway. In doing so, you can show the police you are ready to interact with them in a friendly manner. Remember your rights all the while, though. You do not need to answer any questions that may be incriminating or leading. You do not need to permit any vehicle search without a warrant. You do not need to take any optional field sobriety test, like standing on one leg and walking a straight line.

Call Our Santa Rosa DUI Attorney at (707) 418-5352 for Help

Given the unusual and unpredictable environments created by holiday DUI checkpoints, virtually any driver could end up doing or saying the wrong thing and end up in handcuffs. If you are arrested for a DUI for any reason, call (707) 418-5352 to get into contact with the Law Offices of Evan E. Zelig, P.C. in Santa Rosa. We are here to make certain your rights are respected and upheld throughout your case. Using our extensive experience, we may be able to challenge any evidence collected against you at a DUI checkpoint and render it inadmissible. Schedule your free consultation today to learn more.