When you’re pulled over in Pennsylvania, you have a legal obligation to provide the officer with your driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance. If they believe that you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they may ask you to answer various questions or request that you can partake in a field sobriety test. Knowing your rights of what you legally have to do and what you can refuse can help to put you in a position to make decisions in your best interest.
You can deny to answer questions
It’s not uncommon for a police officer to ask a person that they believe is under the influence of drugs or alcohol to answer various questions. These may include questions like where were you driving from and what’s your destination. You do not have to answer any of these questions if you don’t want to. You can simply let the officer know that you don’t want to answer questions without your legal representative present.
You can deny field sobriety tests
When you’re pulled over for a DUI, it’s very likely that an officer may ask you to take a field sobriety test. When a person performs these tests, the officer gauges their response to determine if it’s very likely that they’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While the officer may present these tests as being mandatory, the reality is they’re not. You can refuse to take any field sobriety test if you so choose.
Being charged with a DUI can be an offense that changes various aspects of your life. From your career to your ability to meet and hang out with friends, a DUI could change all of it. Understanding what your rights are in regards to interacting with law enforcement can give you the option to act in your best interests if you end up getting pulled over.