If you’ve been pulled over for drinking and driving, you already know that it’s one of the most terrifying experiences of your life.
The police are coming out in full force right now because the holidays are right around the corner… and during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the city sees a huge increase in the number of arrests, charges, and convictions. If you’ve already been charged, call a Skokie, IL DUI lawyerimmediately.
So what should you do if you’re pulled over for DUI in Skokie?
What to Do if You’re Pulled Over for DUI in Skokie
If a Skokie police officer pulls you over because he or she suspects you’ve been drinking, or when you’re randomly stopped at a checkpoint, know that what you do is very important.
Don’t:
- Get into a long, heated discussion with the officer
- Argue with the officer
- Resist arrest if the officer attempts to arrest you
- Answer “harmless” questions (such as “Where have you been? Where are you going?”)
Do:
- Cooperate but ask to speak with your lawyer
- Be polite
- Don’t lie
The police officer may ask you to take a field sobriety test or to take a preliminary breath test. However, if you refuse, know that you’re statistically more likely to be arrested. If you’re arrested, the police will administer a breath, blood, or urine test—and because Illinois is an “implied consent” state, the law requires you to take one of these tests if you’re arrested for DUI in Skokie.
Common Field Sobriety Tests in Skokie
If you submit to a field sobriety test, the officer is likely to use what’s called “The Walk and Turn Test” or the “One Leg Stand Test.”
The Walk and Turn Test
The police officer testing you will tell you to take nine heel-to-toe steps, turn, and take nine steps back. The officer will look for two of the following clues that may indicate that you’re intoxicated:
- Your ability to balance
- How quickly you start
- Whether you stop while walking
- Whether you touch heel-to-toe
- Whether you step off the line
- Whether you use your arms to balance
- How well you balance
- Whether you turn according to the directions
- How many steps you take
The One-Leg Stand Test
In the One-Leg Stand Test, the officer tells you to raise one leg about 6 inches from the ground. You’ll have to keep your raised foot parallel to the ground. You’ll have to look at the lifted foot and count out loud by saying, “One thousand and one; one thousand and two…” If the officer sees two clues of intoxication, it’s game over.
The officer will watch for:
- Whether you sway while balancing
- Whether you use your arms to balance
- Whether you hop
- Whether you put your foot down
Refusal to Take Field Sobriety Tests
If you refuse to take field sobriety tests, the prosecution may say that you were guilty of drinking and driving (and that’s why you refused). However, you have the right to refuse them, and it may be in your best interest to do so.
Do You Need to Talk to a Skokie, IL DUI Lawyer?
If you need to talk to a Skokie, IL DUI lawyer, call us immediately at 847-920-4540 for a free DUI case evaluation. We may be able to help you.
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