Q: Can I fight a case in court for reasonable suspicion? (changing lanes without a turning signal in NC (3-4 car lengths))
Officer said I was swerving a little bit, but I simply switching lanes without a turning signal. The law says I can do that if I’m 3 to 4 car lengths from other drivers. Plus, I got a DWI based off of odor of alcohol coming from my car and one breath test.
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- North Carolina
- (910) 333-9679
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- Answered
A: The law does not say anything about being any amount of car lengths away - you are not required to signal a lane change, period. It is nice if you do so and courteous - but it is not required that you signal a lane change. However, if the officer stopped you for what they interpreted as 'swerving' then the officer likely has the reasonable suspicion to stop you and it doesn't really matter that you call it 'changing lanes without signaling'. You definitely need to consult with a local experienced DWI attorney but from what you have stated in your question, you are likely looking at a plea if that breath test was over .08. Best of luck.
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