What are the three phases of DUI Detection?

The three phases of DUI detection are indeed broken down into Vehicle in Motion, Personal Contact, and Pre-arrest Screening.

In the first phase, Vehicle in Motion, law enforcement officers observe the driving behavior of a vehicle to identify any signs of impairment. This could include things like erratic driving, swerving, or other behaviors indicating that the driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The second phase, Personal Contact, occurs when the officer makes contact with the driver. During this phase, the officer assesses the driver's physical appearance, behavior, and the smell of alcohol or drugs. This is a critical phase where the officer can gather initial observations that will inform whether further testing is necessary.

The final phase, Pre-arrest Screening, involves standardized field sobriety tests and possibly a preliminary breath test to determine the driver's level of impairment more quantitatively. If the evidence gathered during this phase suggests that the driver is impaired, the officer may then choose to arrest the driver for DUI.

This structured approach helps in building a case against a suspected impaired driver, ensuring that law enforcement follows due process and bases their actions on observable evidence.