The first thing to expect is that you will probably sit in your car for a few minutes before the officer approaches the vehicle. This is typically when the officer will be calling in the stop to dispatch and when he will be running an id on the vehicle to find who it is registered to. During this time don’t fidget in your vehicle. Don’t start looking around under the seats for your identification. If it’s not where you can reach it wait until the office approaches before climbing into the back seat to retrieve it.
When the officer approaches the vehicle he will ask for identification, proof of insurance, and registration. Hopefully these things are where you can get to them easily. If not explain to the officer that your purse is in the trunk or in the back seat and you will need to get it. Don’t start reaching for it without explaining what you are doing as this might signal to the officer that you are trying to hide something.

Always be polite to the officer. Do not give the office grief for pulling you over. It’s his job to ensure the safety of motorists and he is not to blame for your poor decision. If you are violent or abusive with the officer you have a better chance of spending the night in a jail cell. If you are nice to the officer you may be able to get out of the situation with only a warning. Of course the officer won’t allow you to drive home but they may be willing to give you a ride to your destination or allow you to call someone to come pick you up.

During your interaction with the officer he will be looking for tell-tell signs of intoxication. These signs might include erratic behavior, abusive behavior, bloodshot eyes, smell of alcohol, slurring of words, and clumsiness. If the officer notices any of these they will then ask you to exit the car. Don’t exit the vehicle unless the officer requests as this may be seen as a threat toward the officer. When exiting the vehicle the officer will then ask you to perform some test.

These tests are known as field sobriety tests. These tests look for reaction time and balance which are not normal when a driver is intoxicated. Field sobriety tests usually include having the driver close their eyes and put their finger to their nose. Another test used is having the driver walk a straight line down the road edge marking line. If a driver cannot perform these tasks or has a lot of difficulty the officer can assume the person is above the legal limit of consumption.

At this point the officer may ask you to take a Breathalyzer test. Most states do not require this test to be taken immediately and drivers can refuse. Not taking the test at this time or refusing the test completely will most likely end in a trip to jail where you will be formally charged with driving while intoxicated.

The best thing to do is to avoid getting into this situation. Line up a designated driver before going out if you plan on drinking. Know your limit and when to stop. If you have any doubt at all that you aren’t sober call a cab. Driving while intoxicated can not only mess up your life but the lives of other innocent drivers on the road. Think about the consequences before taking the risk. Always try and contact a good DUI Lawyer in Arizona for further expertise and information.

Driving Privileges
The most obvious is your driving privileges, in most cases you will lose your license for a set amount of time, this time frame will very from state to state. If you continue to get DUI convictions it will eventually lead to a permanent loss of your driving privileges.

Financial Burden
The cost of a DUI can be phenomenal, the fines, the court costs, the price of a good attorney if you chose to hire one can be devastating to the most financially stable person. Average cost for the attorney alone will run you about $1000, this is for a simple case. Add in court costs and fines, you have a healthy sum to pay out. This may lead into you putting off other household bills and expenses, putting you in financial turmoil at home.

Car Insurance
A DUI will add points to your driver’s license, as points are added your insurance rates will automatically go up.

Employment
In many cases, a DUI conviction will affect your employment opportunities, employers will be faced with a decision that they often times don’t like to make, many employers don’t want their employees names in the paper associated with this kind of behavior, they may suspend or give you warning that you may lose your employment if this behavior continues. Some will offer rehabilitation to the employee, where others will not tolerate the public embarrassment and will terminate employment immediately.

If you are seeking employment and have DUI conviction on your record, it will limit your opportunity. You will now be considered an insurance risk and if the job involves any type of driving activity you probably will not be considered.
If you have a commercial driver’s license, these license are immediately revoked, no matter how long you have had them, see your state law on the effects that you will be facing.

Family
Many marriages have been dissolved because of one’s drinking problems. A DUI is often the straw that breaks the camels back so to speak. A spouse will often feel that the problem is too much to deal with and you will be on the losing end of the divorce. After all, all they need to do is pull you record and see what you are all about.

Public Labeling
Your criminal record is now public record in many states these days it is a simple matter of pulling up a website and there it is, usually about 7 pages from beginning to end, the whole ordeal for the world to see. Your friends, neighbors, co workers, bosses or anyone else who cares to poke their nose in your business can check you out. It is simply a click away.

Bottom Line
You work hard everyday, you have worked very hard to establish a reputation as a person with a good work ethic, you show up and get the job done, you excel in your field, you are a good family person, wonderful provider, overall good person, but a DUI can cast a dark shadow over all of this. Take a peak at public records, look at your local paper and see the convictions out there for all to see. Then go online and check out the public records. See how detailed a criminal record can get.
A DUI affects your entire life, think before you drink!