Drivers do not have to be swerving all over the road to be pulled over and arrested on suspicion of DUI. According to Brian D. Sloan with The Arizona DUI Team, many arrests begin with a much more routine type of traffic stop.
Now, lawmakers are hoping to give police even more leeway for officers to stop vehicles by tightening up a loophole that led to a drunk driving charge being dismissed back in 2011. That’s because the suspect was stopped for having a non-working “Liddy light,” the middle brake light – despite the fact that his normal brake lights were functioning properly.
His arrest on DUI charges was eventually thrown out when an Arizona Appeals Court ruled he should not have been pulled over in the first place because his two main tail lights were working properly.
Earlier this month, the State House voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill that states if a person has more than one stop lamp or tail light, all must be working, including the “Liddy light.” If the Arizona Senate passes the measure, it will go to the Governor’s desk for final approval.
“What this law will do is give police yet another reason to stop drivers, even if both taillights are safely working,” Sloan says. “This minor violation could lead to someone receiving a sobriety test and being arrested on suspicion of DUI.”
The small group of lawmakers who are opposed to the rule say it provides police with too much authority and could lead to someone being pulled over because a side-mirror light, or another light that isn’t a legal safety requirement might not be working.
“Police already have long list of criteria they can use to stop drivers,” Sloan says. “This law will surely lead to many Arizona drivers being pulled over for an infraction they don’t even know exists.”
About Brian D. Sloan
Brian D. Sloan is the founder of The Arizona DUI Team, a team of Phoenix DUI lawyers who focus on defending people charged with DUI and related crimes in the greater Phoenix area. The team has successfully represented more than 3,500 cases.
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