CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL LAWYERS

DUI Driving Patterns in Los Angeles

The Importance of Not Getting Behind the Wheel While Impaired

Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do on the road. Impairment can lead to fatal accidents, injuries, and even death. The United States has strict laws that prohibit driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. When a police officer sees any suspicious behavior, they will pull over the driver and conduct a DUI investigation.

The Importance of Traffic Violations in DUI Investigations

A police officer is not authorized to pull over any driver based on unsubstantiated evidence that they are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution requires that police officers have reasonable and substantiated evidence to stop a vehicle. This means that the driver must violate traffic laws or other laws in a way that is illegal to create a substantial suspicion of DUI.

The National Transport and Safety Administration (NTSA) has identified specific driving patterns that significantly increase the likelihood of impairment. These driving violations are indicators of driving under the influence and the officer has the right to conduct a detailed DUI investigation in such instances.

NTSA Impaired Driving Patterns

The NTSA has identified different driving patterns where a driver is more likely to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The most common driving conduct observed by the NTSA is the driver’s failure to stay in one lane during traffic. The probability of DUI in such cases is more frequent in the evenings when people are getting back from work.

According to the NTSA, one of the driving conducts most likely to indicate impairment in the driver is the making of wide radius turns; this risk factor is at 65 percent probability. It is hard to control when driving under the influence. If a driver is seen swerving, weaving, or nearly coming into contact with another vehicle, the likelihood of DUI increases by 60 percent. Likewise, swerving on the road drives up the probability of DUI by 55 percent.

Breaking traffic laws such as speeding off the designated routes or tailgating increase the likelihood of intoxication by 55 and 45 percent, respectively. Drifting while driving results in a 50 percent chance of being driving under the influence, while drivers who use their turn signals without turning might indicate a 50 percent impairement. If the driver rolls without any causative agent or drives without using their headlights after dark, there’s a 30 percent chance of them driving under the influence.

Why Traffic Patterns are Indicators of Impaired Driving

When a driver is under the influence of drugs and alcohol, they tend to lose their concentration as it’s difficult to control their movements. The driver might not be aware that they are swerving or weaving hence, might not realize the effect of his actions or abilities. The NTSA has compiled these indicators to inform police officers on what to observe when they suspect a driver is driving under the influence.

Why You Need a DUI Criminal Attorney

If a police officer observes a driver making two or more of these violations, they will pull over the driver to conduct an impaired driving investigation. If a driver is arrested, they may face criminal charges that can severely impact their life. This is the reason why you need a DUI criminal attorney like Todd Spodek who will fight for your rights in the face of the law. Todd Spodek is an experienced legal professional who will assist you at any time.

Table “NTSA Impaired Driving Patterns”

|Impaired Driving Patterns|Probability of Impairment|
|-|-|
|Making Wide Radius Turns|65%|
|Swerving, Weaving, or Nearly Coming into Contact with Another Vehicle|60%|
|Swerving on the Road|55%|
|Speeding Off the Designated Routes|55%|
|Drifting While Driving|50%|
|Using Turn Signals Without Turning|50%|
|Rolling Without any Causative Agent|50%|
|Tailgating|45%|
|Driving at 10mph and Stopping Immediately|50%|
|Driving Without the Headlights After Dark|30%|