There are few things that will get the attention of a New Jersey State Trooper or local patrolman faster than a motorist operating a vehicle that is obviously damaged, in poor repair, or incorrectly maintained. As such, there are few worse scenarios than attempting to drive a mechanically compromised automobile when you as the driver are also somewhat compromised by alcohol (DWI), prescription meds (drug DUI), or an illegal substance (also known as a controlled dangerous substance or CDS).
Furthermore, it doesn’t take a skilled legal professional to know that here in the Garden State, being arrested for DWI or drug DUI is not the best path to a happy future. Aside from the general embarrassment, potential negative career implications, or interpersonal problems that such an event can trigger, the cost of a conviction for drunken driving can be rather significant, especially for those individuals who already have tight family budgets.
All this being said, there are ways to avoid attracting the attention of the local constabulary. First and foremost is not getting into the driver’s seat after having even one drink. Whether you are below the legal limit of 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content (BAC) or not, being even slightly impaired can raise your chances of having an accident by affecting one’s ability to control the vehicle; never mind the possibility of standing out in a crowd by weaving, failing to signal, speeding, or even going much too slowly.
As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, my staff of skilled trial lawyers have many decades of collective courtroom experience in defending people accused of a wide variety of offenses. Our familiarity with these types of cases provides us with a great deal of insight into the mistakes that motorists make just before being pulled over for a moving violation. Consider the driver who was stopped a little while back for driving with his hood flipped wide open following a traffic accident.
According to the news reports we read, the encounter that led to a drunk driving arrest in South Brunswick, NJ, began when a 43-year-old out-of-state motorist driving an ’02 Nissan was allegedly involved in traffic collision along a stretch of U.S. 1. Based on police reports, the driver apparently left the scene of the crash and continued to drive southbound with his hood open and obscuring most of his windshield.
Police quickly caught up with the driver and pulled him over. While on the roadside, officers asked the man to exit his vehicle, during which he reportedly had trouble standing. Police also stated that the driver exhibited slurred speech. He was eventually arrested and reportedly charged with drunk driving, failure to report an traffic collision, as well as leaving the scene of a car accident.
Cops: Man arrested for DWI after driving four miles with hood up, covering windshield; NJ.com; April 12, 2013