Summer is fast approaching and everyone is anticipating a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. However, as those burgers grill and those beers flow, please remember that the Rhode Island State Police, in connection with local law enforcement, will be out in force to crack down on drunk driving.
Despite its small size, Rhode Island is one of the leading states in the United States for drunk driving arrests. Through federally funded grants, such as Operation Blue Riptide, the Rhode Island State Police and local police departments are incentivized to add additional patrols to detect and arrest drunk drivers. Rhode Island is one of a handful of states which does not allow for DUI checkpoints because it is in violation of the protections afforded to all Rhode Island citizens through the Rhode Island Constitution.
The most important advice for anyone stopped by the police is to stay calm. Remember that you are presumed innocent. Do not try to talk your way out of an arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Despite indications to the contrary, you are not required to perform the standardized field sobriety tests. The standardized field sobriety tests are HGN, walk and turn and one leg stand. These tests are used by the police to obtain probable cause to arrest you for drunk driving. The answer to the question of whether or not you should submit to the chemical test at the station depends on your individual circumstances. Therefore, it is important if you are arrested for drunk driving over this Memorial Day Weekend in Rhode Island, that you contact a competent professional with years of experience handling drunk driving and refusal cases. Please contact the Law Offices of Robert H. Humphrey at (401) 816-5862 or e-mail us at rhh@rhumphreylaw.com if you have been arrested for drunk driving.