What Evidence is Needed For an LA DUI?

The first thing that a police officer will look for in a potential LA DUI case is physical signs that the driver is impaired.sSigns of erratic driving, such as weaving between lanes, driving off of the designated highway, driving over the center marker, or driving against traffic, are often the initial signal to the police officer that the person behind the wheel of a vehicle is driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances.sOther indicators of impaired judgment include questionable signaling, inappropriate stopping or slowing, excessive braking, and delayed reaction to traffic signals.

If the police officer notices any of these items, he will pull the driver over to determine why they are driving erratically and if they are violating California drunk driving laws.sIf they suspect that the driver is intoxicated, they will ask the driver if they have been drinking.sBased on the answer to that question, whether there is an odor of alcohol in the vehicle and other observable behavior, such as slurred speech or trouble focusing, the police officer may decide to give the driver a field sobriety test to further determine whether this will be a Los Angeles DUI case.

If the driver fails the field sobriety test, the police officer will place the person under arrest for the violation of California DUI laws and take them to a secure location for chemical testing.sThis testing will typically include a breathalyzer test, which tests for the presence of alcohol in the breath of the driver.sThe driver may also elect to take a blood test, which tends to be the most accurate measure of the driver’s blood alcohol level.sIf the driver is suspected of being under the influence of drugs, a urine test may be required as well.sTheresults of these tests will be used in the DUI case against the driver.