Law enforcement personnel throughout our state have resumed Washington’s annual ‘holiday crackdown’. As of this past weekend emphasis patrols are in full force and effect. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission coordinated the effort and a publicity campaign across our state has kicked off, inclusive of highlighting marijuana-impaired drivers, who exhibit delayed reaction times; if there were any doubt, just look up at the electronic road signs currently hanging above our freeways.
Patrols will be concentrated on roads with a history of impaired-driving incidents, and this year Snohomish County will be using the State Patrol’s Mobile Impaired Driving Unit, which is a 36-foot mobile home where patrol officers can drop off arrested suspects to be processed and tested by fellow troopers. This practice allows the arresting trooper to get back on the road for continued emphasized patrols of our roadways. You can be sure that officers, deputies and troopers will be on the lookout for people who speed, drive aggressively, aren’t wearing a seat belt, or who violate other common traffic laws. These activities by themselves don’t mean someone is driving under the influence, but they do permit for the possibility that law enforcement personnel will have an opportunity to further observe the stopped driver for telltale signs of intoxication and/or exacerbated effects that appreciably affect the person’s ability to drive a motor vehicle.
Currently, our DUI laws are some of the strictest laws in the nation. Hiring a Seattle DUI attorney to help can – at a minimum – reduce those penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their DUI charge. So it should go without saying that someone cited for DUI should hire a qualified Seattle DUI attorney as soon as possible. Driving Under the Influence charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with DUI in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle DUI lawyer.