What Do Police Officers Look For When Searching for DUI Drivers in Georgia?

While there is no set standard as to how people act while intoxicated, there are certain factors that can cause a police officer to believe a person is driving while intoxicated. Officers must have a reason to pull you over. Then once you have been pulled over, they can request you to take field sobriety tests. While this is not an extensive list, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) have compiled a list of driving patterns that may alert police officers of potential drunk drivers: 

• Weaving
• Drifting off the road or into the other lane
• Inconsistent signaling
• Failing to stop at stop signs
• Lack of headlights
• Quickly accelerating or decelerating
• Stopping for no reason
• Almost running into the back of people or objects
• Swerving
• Following too closely
• Running red lights
• Failure to Maintain Lane
• Going more than 10 miles below the speed limit
• Turning extra wide 
• Running onto the sidewalk 

NHTSA has even assigned percentages to some of the driving patterns that indicate the driver's chance of intoxication. If a driver is making a wide turn or straddling the center lane, NHTSA estimates that there is a 65% chance the driver is intoxicated.  A 45% chance of intoxication is associated with following too closely, erratic braking, or driving into incoming traffic. Driving with no headlights after dark or quickly accelerating or decelerating has a 30% chance of intoxication. 

Something interesting to note is that speeding is not always indicative of a DUI. Driving under the influence causes most people to slow down and have slower reaction times. However, speeding uses quicker judgment and reflexes. While there are situations where people can be driving under the influence and speeding, it is not as common. 

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