DUI and DWI charges can come with stiff penalties, from losing your license and attending alcohol education classes to exorbitant fines and lengthy prison sentences. You want to protect yourself as much as possible throughout your case, and the best way to do that is to have a quality defense strategy. Below, three common types of DUI/DWI defenses are outlined.

3 Common DUI/DWI Defenses Explained

1. Improper Stop

A police officer cannot pull you over because they have a hunch you may be breaking the law. There must be a reasonable expectation that a driver is under the influence for law enforcement to stop you; not following the rules of road, veering between lanes, or maintaining erratic speed levels would be justification to pull you over. But if no evidence like this exists and you can prove you were following all traffic laws, your DUI defense could argue that the officer had no right to stop you in the first place.

2. Medical Issue

Certain medical problems can be mistaken for driving under the influence. If a driver is lightheaded, unsteady on their feet, or experiencing particularly poor coordination, it should not be an automatic assumption of DUI or DWI. If you can establish that it was a medical issue and not alcohol impairing your driving, you could create a strong defense in your favor.

3. Inaccurate Field Sobriety Testing

Field sobriety tests are not altogether reliable, and this fact can be used to build your DUI defense. Field testing needs to be administered in a very specific way, and if an officer does not follow the exact protocol, it could help your case. Also, if you can show the faultiness of the field test results by questioning the general reliability and accuracy of field testing, you might cast further doubt on the prosecution's case.

When you need a solid legal strategy, trust the DUI and criminal defense attorneys at Coyne, Cundiff & Hillemann, P.C. With 75 years of combined experience, this legal team serves the Lake St. Louis, Missouri, region. Call (636) 561-5599, visit them online, or connect with them on Facebook or Twitter to schedule a consultation today.