While a Florida police officer has to have a valid reason for pulling you over, the list of suspicious activities is large enough to act like a dragnet. You don’t have to do much to be pulled over for “probable cause.” You may wonder what Tampa police officers look for. They depend to large extent upon guidelines drawn up by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA’s guidelines use five categories to evaluate driver impairment:

1. Difficulty with staying in your own lane
2. Difficulty with managing the speed you are driving and braking
3. Difficulty with functional skills
4. Difficulty with making the right judgment for conditions.
5. Perceived anomalies with your behavior and appearance.

There are driving patterns that are seen frequently among DUI drivers. If you display even one of these behaviors, a Tampa police officer can use it as a reason to pull you over on suspicion of DUI. If you display more than one, it is all the more likely you will be pulled over for a Tampa DUI.

Here’s a list of many of the things Tampa officers are watching for that fall under these general categories. We will also share some non-DUI reasons for this behavior.

Difficulty Staying In Your Own Lane

• Weaving. A driver usually stays on their side of the road but over-corrects consistently. The front and back tires on one side of the car may pass over the center line as well. Non-DUI Reason: A driver who is struggling to stay awake can also have this problem, is distracted, or there are mechanical problems with the vehicle.
• Drifting. A driver will keep the car traveling in a straight line but the wheel angle is slightly off so the car “drifts” across the line that defines the lane. Non-DUI Reason: This problem also occurs when a driver is tired or there is a carbon monoxide leak in the car, is distracted, or there are mechanical problems with the vehicle.
• Swerving. A driver may correct course gradually or abruptly. Non-DUI Reason: An animal might dart across the road. An object could be observed in the lane. If the officer hasn’t seen these things, you could be suspected of DUI in Tampa.
• Almost striking another vehicle or an object. A DUI driver might pass unusually close to another vehicle or a fixed object (such as a telephone pole) while traveling at either slow speed or in pace with traffic.
• Turning with a wider radius than necessary on an inside curve. A DUI driver often crosses slightly into the oncoming lane as he/she makes an inside turn. This is a major red flag according to NHTSA.

Difficulty with Speed and Braking

• Stopping too far from a curb or at the wrong angle. Some of us will always be challenged when it comes to parallel parking skills. We don’t have to use them often enough.
• Stopping short of the white line or beyond it at an intersection. Weather conditions can play a major factor as can driving at night. Driving in an unfamiliar neighborhood can create difficulties.
• Jerky or abrupt stops. Wet road conditions can suddenly make you aware of brake problems.
• Accelerating or decelerating rapidly with no reason to do so. Gas acceleration problems are on the rise.
• Alternating between accelerating and decelerating. Some people have a consistent problem regulating their speed.
• Driving more than 10 MPH below the speed limit. Some drivers just don’t feel comfortable over 55 mph. You could be having car problems that make getting up to speed difficult.

Difficulty with Functional Skills

• Inconsistent signals. Forgetting to turn on signals or turning on the wrong signal is considered a sign of DUI.
• Driving into oncoming traffic or going the wrong way on a one-way street. Non-DUI Reason: Have you ever driven in an unfamiliar neighborhood where you didn’t realize the street was one way? Signage may be difficult to see at night.
• Failure to respond appropriately to traffic signals. Non-DUI Reason: Have you ever failed to notice that the light turned green? You could be pulled over for DUI.
• Stopping in the lane. DUI drivers do fall asleep at the wheel and just stop wherever they are. Non-DUI Reason: This behavior is also seen when a person is lost, confused, or having a medical problem.

Difficulty with Making the Right Judgment for the Situation

• Illegal turns. DUI drivers are more likely to make an illegal turn that a sober driver according to research.
• Driving off the designated roadway. Beware of driving on the shoulder, off the edge of the road or in a turn only lane. Officers have been trained to suspect this behavior.
• Unusual behavior. Anything from throwing something from your vehicle to stopping to urinate along the roadside will be viewed with suspicion. Of course, throwing things out of the car usually violates litter laws, so it’s best practice to avoid doing so anyway. But not everyone comes from our American culture that views the need to relieve oneself as such a private matter.

Perceived Anomalies with Your Behavior and Appearance

• Gripping the steering wheel tightly. Non-DUI Reason: Some people develop this habit from years of driving on snow and ice.
• Slouching in the seat. Non-DUI Reason: Some people find driving more comfortable in a less upright position.
• Staring straight ahead with fixed eyes. Non-DUI Reason: This could also be a sign you are getting tired, and it’s time to stop at a rest stop for a nap. If someone’s blood sugar is getting too low, they can also have this problem.

As you can see, there are many situations that could make you look like a Tampa DUI driver when you aren’t.  However, many of the reasons that cause police to make a traffic stop have been proven illegal or are the result of other reasons than drunk driving.

If you are charged with a DUI in Tampa, you need a DUI attorney who knows what approach to take with your best interest in mid. Don’t let a DUI charge go on your record if you weren’t driving under the influence of alcohol. Contact the Tampa DUI lawyers at Musca Law. We are only a phone call away at 813-362-5623.