Many New York drivers may feel confident leaving a bar after a few drinks to drive home. However, that could prove costly if an officer pulls the driver over. An officer who suspects a driver of driving under the influence of alcohol looks for specific indicators.
Guardian Interlock mentions that the officer starts by looking at how the car is moving along the road. A car moving erratically in the lane, unsafe driving or failing to yield to other drivers or pedestrians. When the officer pulls the driver over, they start assessing the physical signs of intoxication.
The driver looks for bloodshot eyes, alcohol smells and anxiety signs. In addition, the officer assesses the driver’s speech and whether it is too fast, too slow or slurred. An aggressive demeanor may indicate intoxication as can poor reflexes.
MADD mentions additional signs of impaired driving beyond those listed above. Aggressive, unsafe driving such as swerving between lanes, tailgating and quick stops and starts can indicate drunk driving. Sitting too long at a traffic light that turns green or going below the speed limit 10 mph or slower are potential signs.
A car that stops without causes, drifts between lanes, doesn’t turn on their headlights at night, strikes or almost strikes objects, inconsistent signaling and illegal turns can alert a police officer of drunk driving. These are not all the possible signals but may have a driver pulled over.
Once stopped, the law enforcement official may subject the driver to a breath test or field sobriety test. Depending on the results, the driver may face a DWI charge.