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Four Things To Avoid When Approaching A DUI Checkpoint

Admin • Jul 06, 2016

As the holiday season gets under way, you will encounter more sobriety checkpoints on the roads of North Carolina. Often referred to as roadblocks, these are used by law enforcement to identify, detain, and charge inebriated drivers that may be on the road. Although no one wants to be charged with driving under the influence, tactics that you may choose to use to avoid this taking place may put you at risk of additional charges. Here are a few things that you do not want to do prior to encountering a DUI checkpoint.

Turning Around

If you are like most people, when you see a checkpoint ahead and you know that you have had a drink or two, your first reaction is to try and avoid being stopped. To do this, you may look for places to turn off or turn around.

Unfortunately, law enforcement has already thought this through. They will often position one or more chase cars at strategic locations that will be able to see any vehicles that try this approach. This almost guarantees that you will be stopped and you will be looked at closer than you will be if you drive through the checkpoint.

Switching Seats

If you have been drinking, but your passenger has not been, or has consumed less than you, you may be tempted to switch seats prior to approaching the checkpoint. This is also not a good idea. Attempting to do so puts you at risk of committing other driving offenses that will make you more suspicious to the officers that are observing approaching traffic.

Leaving Evidence In Plain Site

If you are approaching a DUI checkpoint and you happen to have any type of drugs or alcohol in your vehicle, the last thing you want to do is to leave it in plain sight.

In North Carolina you can be charged if you are transporting any spirituous liquor (gin, vodka, rum, tequila, brandy, etc.), of which the seal on the bottle has been broken, anywhere in the passenger compartment. This includes under your seats and in your glove box.

As long as you have not been drinking, you, or your passengers, are allowed to have an open container of malt liquor, beer, champagne, or wine with an alcohol content of less than 17%, in the passenger compartment. Unfortunately if this is seen, law enforcement may still be able to charge you with having an open container even if you are not guilty of DUI.

If this happens, the experienced attorneys at Barrett & Howell Attorneys at Law will be able to help you get these charges dismissed. Do not attempt to fight the charges there on the side of the road. Doing so may result in you being arrested or charged with resisting arrest.

Be Guilty Of Other Driving Offenses

The last thing you want to do during a time that you know that there is a higher chance of you encountering a DUI checkpoint is drive when your driving license, tags, or insurance are not in order. License and registration are the two main things that the officers are going to ask for.

If they suspect that there are any problems with either of these, they will have you pull over so that they can verify your information. This only takes a few minutes and if they find that these documents are not in order, you will not only be facing a ticket, but also a possible arrest.

If you face any DUI, or other driving offenses, in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, or other surrounding areas, you are not alone. Call Barrett & Howell Attorneys at Law and they will be there for you. They have years of experience and will be able to help you resolve any charges you may have.

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