Although we had a very mild winter in New York, I can't help but be thankful for the early arrival of Spring. Given the choice of staying inside and hitting the mall or hitting the road with the windows open, for me is a no brainer.
However, I am not alone in this mindset. For the past several weeks, specifically while driving on the local roads, Palisades Interstate Parkway and the New York State Thruway, I have noticed an increase in the presence of police cars situated on the side of the road pulling drivers over for speeding and other violations of Vehicle and Traffic Law.
With this in mind, it is important for drivers to be aware that many of my clients charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) are stopped for simple traffic violations. In these situations, and upon stopping the vehicle, the police generally make the initial observations of the driver leading to a DWI arrest. These observations often include the odor of an alcoholic beverage, glassy eyes, impaired speech and admissions to consuming alcohol.
The driver is then asked to submit to a battery of field sobriety tests and suddenly, due to the consumption of alcohol, walking away with a warning or a Speeding Ticket is no longer an option.
In conclusion, as the warm weather puts more drivers on the road, police departments, in turn, place more police officers on the road; this results in more traffic stops and more DWI arrests. Keeping this in mind and taking steps to avoid getting pulled over and to avoiding drinking and driving will allow us all to spring ahead and enjoy the warm weather and the open road.
Brian Berkowitz, is a former prosecutor and a DWI, Criminal Defense and Traffic Ticket Attorney representing clients in Rockland County and the State of New York.
Law Office of Brian Berkowitz, 222 North Main Street, New City, NY 10956. 845-638-9200.
WEB: www.Berklaw.com
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