Law enforcement officers are always on the lookout for drivers who may be under the influence. It is not surprising that someone may be pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving if the police observe them weaving in and out of their lane, or if there are other obvious signs that the person behind the wheel may have had too much to drink before getting behind the wheel.

But direct observation of impaired driving by police is not the only thing that can lead drunk driving charges. During the Super Bowl weekend Las Vegas police used saturation patrolling along with sobriety checkpoints in an attempt to cast the net as broadly as possible to find drunk drivers. When drivers are stopped at a checkpoint, or pulled over for something unrelated to driving under the influence, they can face suspicion of drunk driving even if their driving never demonstrated any outward signs of impairment.

Over the Super Bowl weekend the Las Vegas police reportedly arrested at least 13 people as part of the checkpoints and stepped up patrols. It begs the question of whether their resources may have been better used by attempting to identify drivers who were driving in a visibly impaired manner rather than simply stopping every driver at a checkpoint regardless of whether their driving showed any signs of being under the influence.

If you have been charged with driving under the influence, whether it was a result of being pulled over or stopped at a checkpoint, you can fight the charges. A conviction for drunk driving can have serious consequences, it is important to seek knowledgeable and experienced counsel when facing these charges.

Source: Channel 13 Action News, "Law enforcement cracks down on Super Bowl DUI's," Marco Villarreal, Feb. 6, 2012