When one mentions the Garden State, one of the first things that come to the mind of the average man is the Nets and the car insurance in Virginia. The high car insurance premiums are supported with some of the strictest DUI laws in the country. Thousands of people every year are stopped and questioned by the police whether they might be driving while intoxicated. Almost by default the police inquire about alcohol, especially if it’s late at night. Here is a quick guide on how to behave in such situation, your rights as well as your obligation as a citizen of the state of Virginia.
The smart thing to do if a police officer signals you to stop is to use your turn signal and carefully pull over on the side of the road. At that point you need to stay in your car, keep your hands visible to the officer and wait for the officer to approach your car. When the police officer approaches you act natural and do as you are told. It’s highly likely that he will ask you for your driver’s license, insurance card and registration. While you produce the documents the officer will observe you and see how you perform.
If and if it’s late night he will surely ask you whether you been drinking or not, simply say that you are claiming your fifth amendment rights if you have been drinking. Discussing where you were, what you did, with who you were or whether you were drinking at all won’t help you much. However, if the officer asks you to take a BAC test you need to know that you are obligated to do so by the Virginia state laws. If you refuse to take the test your driver’s license can be suspended for at least seven months, regardless if you were or were not under the influence of alcohol. The main point is not to refuse to take the test.
No matter how the test will turn out, you need to be cooperative with the police officer and don’t argue. Simply comply with whatever he or she says and listen to what he tells you to do so. You shouldn’t get out of your vehicle unless you are asked to do so. In case you are asked to step out of the vehicle you need to be careful not to trip or stumble when you get out. If the police officer asks you to do a field sobriety test such as put your finger to your nose or walk heel to toe. You can kindly refuse to do so because no law obligates you to take them. If you are arrested for Driving under influence the best thing to do is to call DUI attorney and let him take care of it. The best thing for you would be to be as quite as possible and practice the Fifth Amendment right. Once you are out you need to call your insurance agent and arrange a meeting where you can inform him about your new circumstances. There you can discuss how that affects your premiums and what to expect.
Considering your new situation, you can do one more thing, and that is to check online what insurers have to offer to people caught DUI. The fastest way to do that is if you enter your zip above on this page and get free quotes from some of the companies of best car insurance in Virginia that operate.
