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There are many circumstances that can precede being pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence. Maybe you were out to dinner and lost track of how many drinks you had. Maybe you were celebrating with friends at a bar or party. Whatever the situation, once you see those flashing lights in your rear view mirror or the sobriety check ahead of you, you know that you’re in big trouble. Everybody knows that being charged with driving under the influence needs to be taken extremely seriously, but most people have no idea what to do. If you need to know the steps to take if charged with a DUI, the experienced attorneys at Reinherz Law can help.

The first decision that you need to make if you’ve been pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence takes place before you are ever charged, and that is what to do if asked to take a breathalyzer test. Though many think that they should refuse this test in the belief that without the physical evidence, the police will have no case, in fact the refusal to submit to this test can lead to your driver’s license being suspended administratively, even if the charges against you are dropped. By the same token, though you should submit to the breathalyzer test, you should not answer any questions the officer asks you or submit to any portable roadside tests, as your answers can be used against you in court and the portable tests often provide false negatives. If you do submit to the tests, you should tell the officer if you have any physical condition or disability that might impact your ability to perform a balance test.

There are many things that may have made the officer pull you over. You may have been speeding or weaving back and forth while driving. You may have been driving too slowly or braking erratically. The officer is likely to begin their conversation with you by asking questions about where you have been or what you’ve been doing, or why you were driving the way that you were.  Answering anything – even saying that you just had one drink – can work against you. There is nothing wrong with refusing to answer, even if you end up being arrested as a result. It is better to be arrested then to give the officers evidence that you have been drinking.

The most important thing you can do beyond staying silent if you end up being charged for driving under the influence is to call a DUI lawyer. A lawyer from Reinherz Law will act quickly as soon as you call for an appointment. We will start with the breathalyzer test and all of the other details of the arrest itself to look for violations of your civil rights and the accuracy of the equipment and the chain of command of the evidence. Our experience has led to charges against many of our clients being dropped or reduced as a result of our motions to suppress evidence. To learn more about how the attorneys at Reinherz Law can help you after you’ve been charged with a DUI, contact us today.

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