DUI Checkpoints: How to Behave in These Situations

If you drive frequently, you have probably seen a DUI checkpoint. Maybe you’ll run into one in an area with many bars around. Some police departments set them up around the holidays when they know that people drink and drive more frequently. This is especially relevant during times when breweries, taprooms, and bars host special events or seasonal releases that draw larger crowds. While enjoying craft beer or alcohol responsibly is part of the experience, it’s always smart to plan ahead with a designated driver or rideshare service. 

Understanding your rights at DUI checkpoints becomes important if the police stop you. However, you will need to think about how you should behave if something like this happens. If you act incorrectly, you might suffer some serious consequences.

In this article, we will talk about how to behave at a DUI checkpoint. If you drive for long enough, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll run into one eventually.

Why Do DUI Checkpoints Exist?

First, let’s examine why DUI checkpoints exist. Often, the police will start to set them up in areas that see a lot of drunk driving. They may set one up because of a mandate that they get from higher up the food chain.

The police department must usually answer to local politicians. The police will have a chain of command that they follow, but the chief of police or the highest-ranking officer must also do what the mayor or other high-ranking politicians say.

If you see a police checkpoint with officers making drivers take breathalyzer tests, know that it might exist because of political pressure. It’s not just for safety. It’s also about making a statement to drivers that the police want you to behave in a certain way, and you face severe consequences if you don’t comply. 

Don’t Turn Around if You See One

If you see a police DUI checkpoint up ahead, don’t try to do a U-turn to avoid it. If you do, that will almost always get the attention of the cops running the checkpoint.

If you turn around and try to go back the other way, maybe you’ll cross a double yellow line. That’s illegal, and it will give the police the incentive to run you down and search your car.

Also, keep in mind that if you didn’t consume any alcohol, then you shouldn’t fear the police. They shouldn’t do anything if you didn’t drink any wine, beer, or cocktails that day. This is a good opportunity to reinforce the message that responsible beer drinkers should plan ahead with designated drivers or rideshare services.

If you turn around and try to leave, then they may also reason that you have an active arrest warrant. Even if that’s not the case, they might pull you over and approach you with their weapons drawn, and that’s obviously not something you ever want. 

Keep Your Hands Visible

As you approach the checkpoint, roll down your window and get ready to talk to the cops. You should keep your hands clearly visible. Don’t make any furtive moments or look like you’re trying to conceal anything.

If you have any passengers in the car with you, then you might tell them the same thing. You should all try to act casual and not like you have anything to hide. If you’re not drunk, and you don’t have any contraband in the car, then you shouldn’t worry that anything bad will happen.

Some people feel nervous around the police, but remember that they’re public servants. They probably don’t want to do anything out of line. They’re just trying to do their job, and that normally means giving you a breathalyzer and getting you back on the road again so that they can move on to the next vehicle. 

Don’t Mouth Off to the Officers

When you roll down the window and talk to the cops, try to greet them pleasantly. They may want to see your license and registration. If they do, then tell them you are going to reach for it before you make a move. 

You might also have your license and registration out before you get to the head of the line. They will not always want to see it, but having it out and ready makes sense.

Try to talk to them politely. They might ask where you’re coming from and where you’re going. It’s probably best that you don’t crack any jokes with them. 

Don’t tell them that you’re just coming from committing a crime or anything else along those lines. Maybe you think you’re funny, but they will probably not laugh along with you.

Communicating with the police makes some people anxious. Even if that’s the case, though, it is best to put a brave face on the matter and get through it as quickly as you can. If you act suspicious, then you will attract more attention, even if you didn’t do anything wrong. 

Cooperate and You Should Do Fine

They will likely want you to take a breathalyzer, which involves blowing hard into a tube for a few seconds. Then, the officer will get a reading. If you did not drink anything within the past few hours, then they should get a negative reading, and they will send you on your way.

It’s also possible that you consumed one drink before you drove. That’s probably still fine, provided that you’re still under the legal limit. In most instances, if you consumed just one alcoholic drink, then you’ll still blow less than the legal limit if you take a breathalyzer test.

If you’re over the legal limit, then the police can legally arrest you on the spot in most instances. If you’re over the legal limit, then you shouldn’t have tried to drive. You’re about to learn a harsh lesson about what happens if you break this vital law.

It’s not impossible that you will get a false positive sometimes. It doesn’t happen often, but you may not pass the breathalyzer, even if you didn’t drink alcohol or didn’t drink to excess before you drove. 

If that happens, then you can protest, and they might have you take the test again. If you still don’t pass it, then the cops can arrest you and impound your vehicle. If that happens, then you will need to hire a lawyer and dispute the charges. 

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