It is always frightening to look in your rearview mirror and see the flashing lights of a cop car behind you. Being pulled over can be very stressful, especially if you think you may have done something wrong. Being familiar with how being pulled over works and what you should do in such a situation can help alleviate much of the anxiety that comes with this process.

Be Aware of Your Rights

It is important for you to be aware of your rights when pulled over. Police do not always have the authority to arrest you and they cannot force you to take a breathalyzer test (although taking one may be used as evidence against you in court). Despite this, however, you should comply with certain requests. You should always pull over immediately when you realize an officer is requesting for you to do so. You should also hand over your license and registration without complaining or resisting.

A police officer cannot pull you over without a reason. If the officer cannot present you with a valid reason for stopping you, then no charges may legally be made against you. Because Washington does not allow sobriety checkpoints, police officers are not allowed to stop every vehicle that passes in order to check the sobriety of the driver.

Contact Us

If you have been arrested and charged with DUI, then the Seattle DUI defense lawyers of The Cowan Kirk Gaston Law Firm can help. Contact us today at 1-866-822-1230 to speak with an experienced attorney about your situation and legal options.