Drugged Driving Defense Lawyer in Miami

Handling All Kinds of DUI Cases in Fort Lauderdale

Most people are aware that it is illegal for a person to drive while under the influence of alcohol, but alleged offenders can also be arrested for DUI if they drive while under the influence of any controlled substance. Unlike alcohol-related DUI offenses in which breath tests typically provide immediate results, DUI drug cases usually require blood or urine tests. Even when an alleged offender tests positive for a controlled substance, it is not necessarily proof that the drug in question was active at the time the person was operating the vehicle.

An arrest for DUI drugs (commonly referred to as DUID or drugged driving) carries many of the same steep penalties as alcohol-related DUI offenses. That is why it is so important to retain aggressive legal representation from a trusted criminal defense lawyer. If you were arrested in Fort Lauderdale or the surrounding areas, exercise your right to remain silent until you have called The Hoffman Firm. Our Miami drugged driving defense attorney can fight to protect your rights and freedom.

Fight for your best possible outcome by calling 305-249-0090 now. Call 954-524-4474 if you are in Broward County. 

About Drugged Driving Charges & DREs

Drunk driving suspects testing under the .08 threshold or registering no alcohol aren’t off the hook. Law enforcement officers can require a urine sample to test for other chemicals that might explain the alleged impaired driving.

Special officials, known as Drug Recognition Experts (DRE), are often involved in testing at the scene. DREs are police officers who have been trained to determine whether a person is under the influence of a controlled substance and what kind of drug that person might have used.

When a DRE arrives at the scene of an alleged drugged driving violation, he or she will usually follow the same 12-step protocol evaluation:

• Breath alcohol test
• Interview of the arresting officer
• Preliminary examination and first pulse
• Eye examinations
• Divided attention psychophysical tests
• Vital signs and second pulse
• Dark room examinations
• Examination for muscle tone
• Check for injection sites and third pulse
• Subject’s statements and other observations
• Analysis and opinions of the evaluator
• Toxicological examination

While DREs might undergo several hours of training, they are rarely able to recognize medical conditions or other factors that cause symptoms that can be misinterpreted as a person being under the influence of a controlled substance. Additionally, the fact that DREs speak to arresting officers before conducting most of their tests usually means that examinations only serve to confirm the original suspicions of the arresting officers.