DUI stops – also known as traffic stops – are something that every driver will come across at least once during their time on the road.
While these stops exist for a reason and do help maintain the safety of the road, not everyone wants to go through them. Is there a way to avoid them safely?
What DUI stops are
LifeSafer discusses the way that DUI or traffic stops work, and how it is possible to avoid them safely. First, it is important to understand what a DUI stop is.
Police will set traffic stops up along stretches of road that usually see a high rate of intoxicated drivers, such as along the freeway or in densely traveled areas with a lot of bars and other nightlife activities. Officers then select cars that go through the stop at random, pulling them over and administering DUI tests to see if the driver is sober or intoxicated.
However, police cannot force anyone to go through these stops. In fact, some states require officers to post a notice in advance while also providing alternative routes to drivers who do not want to proceed through the stop.
Avoiding a stop safely
It is perfectly legal to avoid a DUI stop. The trick is in how a driver does this. They cannot break any of the laws of the road when avoiding this stop. This means no crossing double lines, no driving recklessly like speeding or cutting off other vehicles, no illegal U-turns, and so on.
If a car can turn away from a DUI stop safely without breaking any laws, then they do not have to proceed through the stop.