If you have never been pulled over before for driving after a night of drinking, you may think that if you talk a lot to the officer and try to defend yourself at the scene, you may be able to either cover up the fact that you were drinking or the officer may be lenient if you are honest. However, there are certain things you should never say when you are pulled over for a DUI.

1.  Admit to Anything Indicating You Were Drinking

When the officer approaches your vehicle, you may be tempted to start rambling about how you only stopped for a couple of beers or that you do not live too far away from the bar. Or, you may say you did drink, but since it was a couple of hours ago, you knew that you were okay to drive.

However, saying anything that indicates that you were drinking at all is an admission of guilt that will be recorded in the officer's report of the incident. And, if you do fail the field sobriety test or breathalyzer, your comments will hurt your chances of pleading not guilty or even the possibility of leniency in your sentencing.

2.  Try to Deny Drinking at All

Since you should not say anything that indicates you were drinking before you got behind the wheel of your car, you may decide that it would be better to say you were not drinking at all. However, denying that you were drinking is just as bad as saying you had a few beers for a couple of reasons.

First, lying to a police officer is never a good thing. It can show that you are trying to interfere with an investigation. Plus, it discredits your honesty, which could be brought up in the courtroom.

Second, law enforcement personnel are trained to recognize the various signs and symptoms of intoxication. If you say you did not drink but are slurring your speech and have alcohol on your breath, the officer will know you are lying anyway. It is better to plead your right to remain silent than to try to talk your way out of the situation. 

Aside from answering simple questions, you should never give up too much information when you are pulled over, as anything you say could come back to hurt your case later. As soon as possible, contact a DUI attorney to discuss your case and seek guidance as to how to proceed with the upcoming court proceedings.