Increased Police Focus on DUI During Fourth of July Weekend

With the Fourth of July weekend around the corner, highways, freeways, and city streets will soon become a lot busier. This creates a high volume of traffic and even more risk for automobile accidents. Because drinking and driving is one of the most dangerous causes of accidents during holiday weekends, law enforcement agencies ramp up their efforts to arrest impaired motorists.

As part of the increased enforcement police throughout Atlanta and the state of Georgia, there will be more officers on the road, more DUI saturation patrols, and even DUI checkpoints set up in various locations. Do your part by staying safe this weekend, and know your rights should you find yourself talking to the authorities.

Make sure you have a safe holiday weekend by following a few simple tips:

• Leave the keys at the door and plan to stay the night at the place of the celebration (if possible).
• Carpool with a group of friends or family. Choose one designated driver.
• Enjoy the holiday from the comfort of your home. This eliminates almost all risks.
• Call a taxi or an Uber driver to deliver you back home. Pick up your car in the morning.

What if I Do Plan to Drive? Will There Be More Police Officers Out?

Although safety is the most important factor to consider, another is the law and the consequences of drinking and driving. To ensure safety, many police departments set up checkpoints in areas that are frequented by intoxicated drivers. Because of the holiday weekend, you can bet that many police stations will be setting up even more checkpoints than any other weekend.

A checkpoint is a legal (in most states), mandatory traffic stop that will generally block the road in both directions, making each driver stop and allow police to check for signs of driver intoxication. In doing so, police officers are able to ensure that impaired drivers are removed from the road and arrested.

Some of the signs that police look for when drivers enter a checkpoint are:

• Glossy or watery eyes
• Slurred speech
• Smell of alcohol
• Visible paraphernalia

Although checkpoints are designed to keep the roads safe, many people have reported being unlawfully searched orwrongly arrested for DUI. It is important to know your rights when it comes to being pulled over for an inspection, and even more importantly, how to properly navigate through the process after being arrested.

If you or a loved one is arrested for DUI over the Fourth of July weekend, contact the Atlanta DUI attorneys at The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson. We understand that mistakes happen and work to make sure your rights are protected throughout the process.