According to the DWI Detection training manual published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2004, police officers are taught to look for the following red flags:

● Anything which may draw their attention to a vehicle (especially at night time) such as:

A moving traffic violation;

Weaving across a lane; Abruptly swerving; Turning with too wide a radius; Almost striking an object or other vehicle; Stopping incorrectly; Rapid acceleration or deceleration; Driving on the wrong side of the road; Slow response to traffic signals; Slow or failure to respond to an officer’s signals; Stopping in a lane for no apparent reason; No headlights; Driving in an area other than a marked traffic lane; Throwing objects out of the car or other inappropriate behavior such as leaning out of the window or yelling out of the window;

● An equipment violation (burned out tail light or burned out license plate light);

● An expired registration or inspection sticker;

● Any unusual driving actions such as weaving within a lane or moving at a slower than normal speed;

● After the stop, evidence of drinking or drugs in the vehicle itself.

Following a suspected DWI stop, police officers will look for the following signs of intoxication according to the DWI Detection training manual:

● Slowed reactions;

● Impaired judgment as evidenced by a willingness to take risks;

● Impaired vision;

● Poor coordination;

● Difficulty exiting the vehicle;

● Fumbling with drivers license or insurance;

● Repeating questions for comments;

● Swaying, unsteady or balance problems;

● Leaning on the vehicle for support;

● Slurred speech;

● Slow to respond to officer/officer must repeat;

● Providing incorrect or changing answers to the same question;

● Odor of alcohol

If you have been arrested for a DWI in Austin, Texas or the surrounding counties, time is of the essence.  Contact Kyle Lowe, an Austin DWI Attorney with 16 years of DWI and Criminal Law experience.  Your case evaluation is free, your peace of mind is priceless.

Right now in Austin, the SXSW (South by Southwest) Music, Film and Interactive Festival is going on. Drawing thousands of people from all over the world, SXSW is a truly impressive annual event that seems to get bigger and better every year. It’s no wonder Austin is called the Live Music Capital of the World.

SXSW shows, panels and film screenings are concentrated in the downtown area, with tons of parties happening throughout the day and well into the night. Sixth Street bars, along with pretty much every other downtown Austin area bar, do a tremendous business during SXSW.

If you’re attending SXSW, don’t get an Austin DWI. Play it safe and don’t drive if you’ve been drinking. There are plenty of cabs available to provide transportation home. With so many people in town living the rock star life during SXSW, you can bet that police officers are on high alert and will be making a lot of Austin DWI arrests if they need to. Don’t let that be you.

If You Get an Austin DWI During SXSW

Whether you’re from Austin or visiting from out of town, getting arrested for an Austin DWI can be overwhelming. An Austin DWI can be a permanent mark on your record, and the penalties can include time in jail, fines and driver’s license suspension. Hiring an Austin DWI attorney is imperative.

If you’ve been arrested for an Austin DWI, know your rights. Contact Kyle Lowe, an Austin DWI attorney who has years of experience fighting for his clients rights. He’s thorough, diligent and works hard to defend you. For a free case evaluation, contact him today.

While football fans were done watching the big game and out celebrating — or not, depending on who they were rooting for — the Steelers’ win on Sunday night, Austin Police Department officers were watching for drunk drivers.

From 9pm on Sunday until Monday at 5am, APD’s “No Refusal” policy made it so that drivers could not give “no” for an answer when they were pulled over for a suspected DWI in Austin. This meant, essentially, that if a driver said “no” to a breathalyzer test, Austin police officers would get a warrant for their blood.

Austin DWI blood draws are controversial: many are firmly against them, while others believe they’re a necessary step to keep drunk drivers off Austin streets. Plus, in court Austin DWI blood draws help prove whether a driver was intoxicated.

This isn’t the first time the Austin Police Department has instituted the “No Refusal” policy/Austin DWI blood draws. They’ve done it two times previously.

If you’re pulled over for an Austin DWI, you simply must know your rights.  Provide the Austin DWI officer with your driver’s license and proof of insurance, and be sure not to give any incriminating information. If the officer asks you any incriminating questions, be polite but firm in saying that you respectfully decline to answer any questions until you consult with your Austin DWI attorney, Kyle Lowe.

Austin DWI offenses are very serious, and they can be on your driving record for the rest of your life. If you have an Austin DWI offense, it’s imperative that you hire an experienced, competent Austin DWI attorney like Kyle Lowe to be on your side.

So you’re in Austin, Texas, you’ve been arrested and now you have a DWI on your record. You may have been told that the penalties for that DWI offense are going to stay with you forever. So how can an Austin DWI attorney help you?

First things first: An Austin DWI will in fact be on your record forever. What’s more is that it will have an effect on your insurance rates. However, by hiring the right Austin DWI attorney, those penalties could be wiped away.

A first Austin DWI offense can include the following penalties: