HOW TO AVOID BEING STOPPED BY POLICE AND AVOID A DUI — BE A BETTER DRIVER

Very few DUI arrests start as a suspicion for DUI. They start by seeing a traffic infraction of some sort. Thus, the general advice here is this: being a better driver will reduce your chances of being arrested for DUI.

Obvious Ways to Avoid a Stop

Speed Limit

Know the speed limit, and don’t speed. If you don’t see a speed limit sign, you should remember the limits set by statute based on the Driving guide we all forget. City Streets max 25 unless otherwise posted. County Roads? Does anyone know this? Interstate? Max 60 unless otherwise posted. If you are not speeding, you are not drawing attention to yourself.

Signals

Use your turn signals properly. The turn signal statue requires activation of a turn signal and continued use for 100 feet before lane movement or a turn. AT 60 mph on the freeway, that’s not a long time, about 1.5 seconds given how many feet per second a vehicle is covering at 60mph. Lesser speeds will require more time, and as you approach an intersection or driveway, 100 feet is easy to estimate. The reality is, using a turn signal even if less than 100 feet is not going to get you stopped, so use your turn signals even if you are in a designated lane for a turn, use the signal.

Turn Properly

Make sure after you utilize your turn signal, you turn legally. Other than speeding, this is the most frequent reason I see people stop. I never see these violations enforced during the day. The failure to turn properly is a pet peeve for me because if they would have turned would have just been turned properly. A person would not likely be sitting in my office. It’s simply lazy driving, but it’s also some of the most common kinds of driving accidents.

Free Right Turns

As a driver approaches a red stoplight, it’s known that a driver has a free right turn unless otherwise posted. While this is true, a driver still must come to a stop before making the turn. Failure to do so is a failure to obey the red stoplight.

Stop at the Designated Stop Bar/White Painted Block

As mentioned above, a driver must come to a complete stop even though it’s easy to slow down, have a clear view, see no traffic, and continue around the corner. The law requires a complete stop at the stop bar/line at a red light or a stop sign. If a police officer is sitting on the opposite side of the intersection and sees a driver not stop at the stop line/bar—meaning the front bumper, not the front tires, then they have witnessed a traffic infraction that entitles them to stop the vehicle. However, if this is the first incident the officer sees, it is more likely the officer will follow for some distance and be on the lookout for more infractions, thus having multiple reasons to make a stop.

Valid Tabs? Equipment on the vehicle in good working order?

If the police officer decides to follow a driver to watch their driving, they often look for obvious things, and a license plate is always a big issue. No front plates? That is an infraction and a valid reason to stop a vehicle unless it’s registered in a state that does not issue two license plates. The license plate statute requires license plates to be mounted not only on the front and back of a vehicle but within a specific manner — horizontal, above the ground, and a certain height. A couple of reasons the police could pull you over are a vehicle with a license plate wedged in the front or back window, a custom hanger that may be too low to the ground, including lowered vehicles where the license plate is too low to the ground.

At Lonn Heymann Law Firm, we specialize in DMV cases, misdemeanor criminal charges, and low-level felony charges in Denver and its surrounding communities. We strongly advise that you talk to an attorney to discuss all your options. If you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer or a Denver DMV Lawyer, contact us today!