Holiday celebrations mean getting together with family, traveling and often parties. Many people consume copious amounts of alcohol as part of their family or professional holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, that increase in partying means that the holidays are often a time when drunk driving risks are substantially higher.
Both policymakers and law enforcement officials are aware of this behavioral pattern, so there are often concerted efforts to reduce drunk driving around the holidays. One popular strategy involves setting up sobriety checkpoints, which some people call DUI roadblocks, to screen drivers for impairment.
What can you do if you find yourself approaching a sobriety checkpoint?
There have been federal court cases that established the legality of sobriety checkpoints when properly performed. Georgia is one of many states that sometimes impose a minor inconvenience on travelers in order to keep the roads as safe as possible.
When you are approaching a sobriety checkpoint, remember that you still have rights. In theory, if you can complete a legal maneuver to change your trajectory, you can change your route and bypass the checkpoint altogether. If you do have to pass through it, it’s important to understand the officers should just talk to you briefly to see if there are obvious signs of impairment. Only if they have reason to suspect that you are impaired can they ask you to pull over for additional questioning and screening.
If you think that improper procedures or poorly-performed tests resulted in a wrongful DUI charge against you, discussing the situation that led to your arrest with a lawyer can help you determine what defense options you may have.
