There have been a lot of stories about how some people have “talked their way” out of a ticket. In fact, it’s so common to try and find some “other” reason for poor driving that a poll in USA Today found the Top Ten most common reasons for excusing poor driving. In cases involving suspected DWI, the excuses (real or not) have a lot in common. The most popular reasons for not getting a ticket range from “I didn’t know it was broken” (number 3) and “I was lost” (number 2) and “I couldn’t see the sign” (number 1). Whether these excuses become good defenses to a DWI often depend on the driver working with a DWI attorney who can present the true facts.
The reality for anyone who is cited for a DWI, however, is that police are supposed to follow very strict rules, excuses or not, for giving a DWI citation. Whether these rules are followed is often decided by being sure an experienced DWI attorney helps the driver. In one Fairfax County case, a woman caused an accident during rush hour. Though she seemed to be intoxicated, the woman insisted on getting medical treatment instead of agreeing to a field sobriety test. The police officer, who had the breathalyzer test ready, watched as the ambulance loaded the woman for the hospital. Hours later, the officer decided not to cite the woman for DWI. The woman may have avoided a DWI citation: but the officer received a disciplinary action for “shirking his duty.”
As with the modern reasons for trying to talk an officer out of a citation, technology may seriously change the results in a DWI case. By speaking with a qualified DWI attorney, the reliability of DWI equipment can be tested. And the tenth most common excuse for poor driving? “I was just following the GPS.”
