Drug DUI

Did you know that not all Bridgeport DUI charges are created equal? Connecticut law defines DUI as driving under the influence of any controlled substance. This commonly means alcohol, but can also include both legal and illegal drugs. You could be arrested for a DUI even if you are under the influence of drugs that have been prescribed to you. While alcohol-related DUIs are common and the state of Connecticut has a clear system for dealing with them, the process differs when it comes to drug-related DUIs. You can learn more about the Bridgeport drug DUI here.

Differences Between Drug and Alcohol DUIs

Detection of types of intoxication naturally differs between drugs and alcohol. When it comes to alcohol, a police officer will likely ask that a driver take standardized field sobriety tests, a breath test, and possibly some other chemical tests. However, standardized field sobriety tests are not accurate for detecting drug use, and neither is the breath test. As such, the state has established different protocols when a law enforcement agent suspects that a driver is under the influence of drugs.

The state relies on Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) to perform evaluations that determine if a person is driving under the influence of drugs and if they should be arrested. Keep in mind that not just any officer can perform this examination. A person must go through additional training in order to be qualified to give and score a drug recognition test.

A typical drug recognition evaluation is a 12 step process. The DRE will question the suspect and perform a breath test in order to see if they are under the influence of alcohol. They will perform a pulse check and if they think they are on drugs, they will proceed with other steps. This includes things like conducting an eye examination, asking the suspect to perform divided attention tests, checking their vital signs, checking muscle tone, checking for injection marks, and taking a statement from the suspect. Finally, the DRE will order a toxicological examination to determine if the suspect is on drugs and what type of drugs they may be under the influence of.

Similarities Between Drug and Alcohol DUIs

Despite these differences, there are many ways that drug and alcohol related DUIs in Bridgeport are similar. First of all, consider traffic stops themselves. Police officers must have a reason to pull a driver over and question if they are driving under the influence. Any traffic violation could be enough for a stop conducted by the police. The police don’t necessarily look for different signs of intoxication by different substances – they just look for any traffic violation in order to conduct a stop and then go from there.

Also keep in mind that the penalties for drug and alcohol DUIs are the same. The penalties are not greater for a first offense drug DUI than for a first offense alcohol DUI. The penalties also don’t differ, except for perhaps the type of treatment program assigned to a particular person.

The Help You Need

As you navigate a Bridgeport drug DUI, you need the help of a lawyer who has worked with these types of cases in the past. Defense for drug DUIs can differ from those in alcohol DUI cases. At our firm, we have worked with drug DUI cases in the past and can determine the best course of action for your defense. Give us a call to learn more.