Any driver who lives or works in the Garden State may already know that arrests for drunken driving occur quite often all around the state. Although being pulled over for a traffic violation does not automatically mean that a driver will be charged with driving under the influence, there are numerous opportunities for motorists to be stopped and potentially charged with a DWI.
Much of this has to do with the circumstances and whether the arresting officer is convinced that an individual is impaired at the time of the traffic stop. Not all DWI and DUI arrests result in conviction; however, as New Jersey drunken driving defense lawyers, I and my staff of experienced DWI attorneys know full well that having any amount of alcohol or drugs in one’s bloodstream at the time of a traffic stop can result in charges being pressed.
Sometimes getting a summons for DWI — or breath test refusal, if one chooses to decline taking a breathalyzer test — is just a matter of timing. Be advised that feeling you are in the right does not change the way a police officer views the situation on the roadside. As we always suggest to friends and associates, it’s better to err on the side of caution and get a sober ride home than to take one’s chances with the local police and possibly be charged with impaired driving due to alcohol or prescription drug use (drug DUI).