Signs Officers Use to Determine San Diego DUI
Have you been arrested for driving under the influence in San Diego? If so, why? This sounds like a simple, perhaps even stupid, question. But amazingly enough, most people don't understand the methods police officers use to determine whether a suspect is in fact DUI.
Here are some of the signs they look for:
1. Appearance clues.
Does the driver look flushed or pale or have bloodshot or glassy eyes? Ethanol consumption slows pupil reaction in some people and leads to other physical symptoms, such as sweating, a racing pulse, and even tremors, in others.
The problem with using physical symptoms to determine DUI is that arresting officers have no point of reference. That is, they've likely never seen the suspect when he's NOT under suspicion for DUI. For instance, maybe an individual who sweats a lot and has bloodshot glassy eyes just looks like that all the time. Seriously. Medical conditions such as extreme obesity can cause such symptoms in completely sober people. In other words, although IN GENERAL ethanol consumption causes certain physical symptoms to manifest, it's very difficult to deduce an unknown individual’s level of drunkenness based on a cursory physical inspection.
2. Clues based on coordination, behavior, and speech.
In general, inebriated individuals cannot complete tasks that require excessive coordination. Their speech may be rambling, incoherent, or disassociative. Their attitudes may range from belligerent to depressed to giddy and so on. Again, unless an officer has a “baseline assessment” of a person when he’s sober, it's next to impossible to ascertain whether any particular behavioral characteristic can be directly attributed to alcohol intoxication. For instance, a suspect may lose coordination or become giddy out of nervousness at being pulled over. As a result, this person might be arrested for a San Diego DUI. Conversely, another suspect (who's gone through extensive martial arts training, for instance) may be able to pass a coordination test with flying colors even with a BAC three times the legal limit.
3. Tests
If observational attempts to determine a driver’s level of intoxication don’t work, what about more scientific tests, such as breathalyzer and blood alcohol tests? These, too, have their flaws. Breathalyzer tests can be badly deployed and misinterpreted. And while blood tests tend to fair better as far as accuracy's concerned, problems can also abound with respect to the interpretation of their results.
All told, therefore, it's important to note that the prosecution’s evidence of your drunkenness may be much more flimsy than you’ve been led to believe. But to fight effectively against these charges, you likely need the help of an experienced, attentive, and battle tested lawyer, like Attorney Stephen R. Brodsky. Learn more about what sets Attorney Brodsky and his team apart at WWW.CRIMINALATTORNEYSANDIEGO.COM, or phone toll free now to get immediate assistance at 1-800-GOOD-ADVICE.
