With Super Bowl LI just around the corner, the greater Houston metropolitan area is certain to see an increased police presence on the streets and highways, looking to catch football fans and partygoers who have had a little too much to drink at a tailgate. Whether you have lived in Texas your whole life or are visiting out of state for the big game, it is smart to anticipate more highway patrol officers out in force throughout the Super Bowl weekend. NRG Stadium is hosting the game this year, and increased patrols will likely be focused on the area immediately around the stadium.
Expect to see more police on these routes:
- Interstate 610
- Texas State Highway 288
- Route 90/Main Street
- Kirby Drive
- Fannin Street
- Interstate 69
Law enforcement officers are likely to expect drivers to be intoxicated after leaving the Super Bowl and see drivers who are completely sober as candidates for a driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest. If you have not had a drink and get pulled over for suspicion of DWI, it would not be the first time and it certainly will not be the last.
You can help yourself avoid an unnecessary arrest and possible charges by remembering to:
- Pull over as soon as it is safe – do not drive for an extended period of time with an officer flashing his or her lights in your rearview.
- Make slow, deliberate movements – do not reach for anything in your car until prompted to do so by the officer, and grab your license and registration before he or she even approaches your window.
- Act respectful – the officer is just trying to do his or her job and will see aggressive or condescending behavior as a reason to suspect you have something to hide.
If you are asked to perform a field sobriety test, it may be in your best interest to refuse it, so long as that test is “not mandatory.” Field sobriety tests are often used only to make an arrest, not to determine if one should be made. If you are an out-of-state driver visiting for the Super Bowl, you might be even more likely to face unfair discrimination from a highway patrol officer. Always be courteous and exercise your best judgement to stay out of trouble with the law.
Unconstitutional Stops
When the Super Bowl is hosted in most states, the routes surrounding the stadium are virtually littered with sobriety checkpoints to catch drunk drivers. This should not be the case following Super Bowl LI in Houston, as DWI checkpoints and roadblocks are deemed unconstitutional in Texas.
If you do find yourself in the middle of a sobriety checkpoint, you should still comply with all police officer requests, within reason; do not speed through as this could be seen as attempting to evade an office of the law. However, be sure to tell your criminal defense lawyer that you were arrested for a DWI after the Super Bowl solely due to an unconstitutional traffic stop.
If you find that you need a Houston DWI defense attorney after the Super Bowl on February 5th, you should look no further than Attorney Tyler Flood. Widely regarded as the areas “top DWI attorney”, Tyler Flood has been practicing law for more than 15 years with an intentional focus on DWI defense and case law. He can help you learn and defend your rights after a DWI arrest, as either a Texas resident or an out-of-state visitor who was just in the state for the game.
Want to know more? Call or contact our firm today for the reliable defense you deserve and require.
