Checkpoints are one of law enforcements favorite tools when it comes to finding DUI offenders in Los Angeles and Southern California, and for good reason. Checkpoints allow police to stop vehicles, and allow them to get a close look at you, your actions and your vehicle without the burden of proving a traffic stop was illegal. They often find many other offenders during the operation of the checkpoint as well, including many regulatory offenses such as expired license tags or faulty equipment on the vehicle.
Thanks to modern communications technology, there have been some sites, especially on Twitter and Facebook, that have sprung up to help people identify where these checkpoints are. Law enforcement takes a dim view of this, but the sites often say they help prevent DUIs by identifying the locations of these checkpoints. According to them, they keep people from drinking when they know there is a checkpoint on the way home, or make people wait until they have had time to become sober enough to drive before they chance it. Some of the most popular are DUICheckpoint and MrCheckpoint.
Although the police may be relieved of the burden of proving a traffic stop was legal when someone is arrested for a DUI at a lawful checkpoint, there are still possible strategies that a Los Angeles DUI lawyer can pursue. Individuals who are not used to the court system are often unaware of these strategies, and this is one of the reasons why it is vital to hire a DUI lawyer Los Angeles residents rely on if you are arrested.
These often include the training of the officer and the maintenance record of the breathalyzer equipment used, but can also involve other areas where the police force has to produce proof when demanded.
A Los Angeles DUI attorney will know the intricacies of the legal and court system, and the requirements and strategies necessary to attempt to mitigate the worst outcomes of a DUI arrest. When you don't know these things it is easy to make mistakes. The prosecution will have highly trained lawyers, and retaining your own attorney is one of the best ways to ensure that you are availing yourself of your rights within the legal system.
California has some of the harshest penalties for DUI convictions, including fines up to $1000 (which do not include penalty assessments), a driver's license suspension, a DUI program, and incarceration. These are just some of the penalties, but there are other penalties which can go on for years, such as a criminal records, increased insurance premiums, loss of livelihood and more.
There are also other types of checkpoints as well, where the police do not stop you but set up surveillance on a section of roadway. If they observe any suspicious behavior, such as weaving or driving outside your lane, broken taillights and the failure to turn your headlight on among other things they will perform a traffic stop.
If you are arrested, don't panic - call a DUI attorney Los Angeles drivers trust as quickly as possible. It will relieve much of the stress of dealing with the legal system and give you the greatest chance of minimizing the bad effects of a DUI arrest.
