Seeing a police car with its lights flashing behind you can be a traumatic experience, even if you haven't done anything wrong.
Add alcohol into the mix, though, and you could be looking at a life-changing event.
In an effort to help you avoid the emotional and financial wringer a DWI arrest can be, I offer you these seven tips on how to avoid being arrested for driving while intoxicated.

1. If you drink any alcoholic beverages, don't drive.
   Unless you are a minor, it is not against the law to drink and then get behind the wheel.
   However, once an officer smells the odor of an alcoholic beverage on your breath, a routine traffic stop becomes a DWI stop.
   
2. Use your turn signal.
   During the ordinary course of the day few drivers use their blinkers to signal a lane change and even fewer police officers stop motorists for failing to do so.
   Late at night, though, changing lanes without signaling is one of the most common reasons for traffic stops that lead to arrests for drunk driving.
   
3. Pay attention to the road.
   We're used to multi-tasking while driving during the day.
   We fiddle with the radio, we pop CD's into the stereo, we talk on the phone, we talk to our passengers and we adjust the air conditioner.
   Each time we do one of these things we take a chance that our car will drift or that we will swerve a little bit.
   At night, in the eyes of a patrol officer, these minor veers become swerves endangering other motorists, and a routine traffic stop becomes a DWI arrest.
   
4. Watch those stops.
   We all do it.
   At some point during the day you're going to miss that stop line, see that stop sign just a second too late or coast through an intersection.
   Do it at night, however, and you are just inviting an officer looking for a DWI arrest to stop you.
   
5. Maintain an adequate distance between you and the car in front of you.
   If you watch motorists driving on the freeways during the day you'll find out quickly that no one listened to the driving instructor when he said to allow a two-second gap between you and the car you're following.
   The reality is that another driver will see that space and pull in right in front of you.
   Accidents occur during the day because drivers don't leave enough space to stop in an emergency.
   Get into that same accident at night, though, and the investigating officer will be looking to bust you for drunk driving.
   
6. Make sure your inspection and registration stickers are up to date.
   It's an easy stop for the officer to make.
   Your stickers are in plain view and an expired sticker is sufficient for an officer to pull you over.
   Drive around with an expired sticker at night and you could be looking at a DWI arrest.
   
7. Maintain your car's safety equipment.
   Check your headlights, turn signals, tail lights, brake lights and license plate lights.
   Problems aren't necessarily noticeable during daylight, but drive in an area with bars and restaurants at night, and you could find yourself charged with drunk driving and spending the rest of the night in jail.
   

If the worst occurs and you find yourself on the wrong side of a DWI investigation, don't help the officer prove up his case.
You are under no obligation to answer any of his questions.
You are under no obligation to perform roadside sobriety tests.
Most importantly, you are under no obligation to blow into the breath test machine.
Inform the officer in a polite manner that you do not wish to answer any questions or perform any exercises or tests and that you would like to consult with an attorney.
If you've been wrongly arrested for DWI, you need an experienced DWI attorney to defend your rights and restore your reputation.
Contact Houston DWI Attorney Paul B.
Kennedy for more information and a free consultation.