The holidays are here, and I hope that everyone enjoys their time with family, friends, and loved ones. Of course, it is also a season when DUI charges are common, and I urge you to be safe on the road.
The holiday season is a common time for law agencies to put up checkpoints, but those are not the only tools the police use. Saturation patrols are also becoming more common. In 2015, the police will be even more aggressive with checkpoints and saturation patrols, because they have more grant money for these measures.
In a saturation patrol, a swarm of officers patrol an area looking for the slightest vehicle code infraction or driving error. What does this mean for you? To decrease your chances of being stopped, make sure that all the equipment of your car works. Make sure your registration is current, all lights function, your windshield is intact, there is no dark tint on front side windows, your front license plate is in place, and your rear license plate light works.
Also, make sure you stop properly at all stop signs, and stop completely before making a right turn. Do not make rolling stops. The police love to sit at stop signs near bars. Also, do not speed under any circumstances. Use these tips, and your chances of being stopped will decrease.
If you are stopped, don’t panic. Provide your license and registration. Remember that you do not have to answer questions or take field sobriety tests. Never agree to the hand held breath test unless you are under 21. If you are arrested, take the breath test.