Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after having too much to drink can bring with it myriad problems. There might be times where you are never caught, and there might be times where you come across a checkpoint. Then, there might be times where an officer simply spots you and is concerned about how you are driving, which leads to a traffic stop. Today, we will explain what it is officers look for in possible drunk drivers.
When it comes to spotting potentially impaired drivers, police officers will look for the following behaviors on the road:
- Speeding or going too slow for the speed limit
- Tailgating
- Erratic movements
- Rapid or frequent lane changes
- Driving at night without headlights
- Taking too long to accelerate when a light changes from red to green
- Sitting stopped at an intersection when no other traffic is coming
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Narrowly missing hitting other vehicles or stationary objects
- Hitting parked cars
- Braking constantly or for no reason
- Driving on any surface other than the road
- Driving in the shoulder
- Failing to stay off the dividing lines
Of course, there are also complaints filed by concerned citizens who encounter erratic drivers. These reports are made by calling 911 and then police officers are sent to the area of the driver to make a traffic stop.
Now that you know what police officers look for to spot potential drunk drivers, you can make sure you operate a vehicle safely. The bottom line here is not to get behind the wheel if you’ve had too much to drink and always designate a driver.