Two officers with the Clifton, New Jersey, police department were congratulated recently for their capability to spot and arrest alleged intoxicated drivers. The commendations are a new feature for the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and are intended to reflect the priority they place on arresting those they suspect of drunk driving.

With the department placing public emphasis on making DWI arrests, police officers are trained to use breath testing devices and to recognize the signs of a potentially drunk driver. Some of these signs include:

• Erratic or unusual driving speeds

• Failure to recognize traffic signs or signals

• Swerving or inattentive driving

• Inappropriate stopping or braking

However, many of these apparent signs of drunk driving do not alone prove that a person is operating while intoxicated. With police officers putting a high priority on making DWI arrests, it is important for New Jersey drivers to understand their legal rights if they are pulled over for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Since the consequences of a DWI charge can be devastating, having legal assistance could be a prudent choice. An experienced attorney can help ask the right questions to determine whether an officer had a justifiable reason to pull a car over, whether breath test results are invalid and whether the driver's rights were protected throughout the process.

If you have been accused of driving while intoxicated and maintain your innocence or seek reduced sentences, having a strong case and proper legal representation can be the difference between jail time and a more tolerable alternative.

Source: NorthJersey.com, "Drunk drivers beware in Clifton," Adam Greenberg, February 9, 2012