Impaired driving is a serious matter because it can lead to serious injuries and criminal charges. What many people don’t realize is that alcohol isn’t the only substance that can lead to this type of criminal charge. For some individuals, drugs are going to be the impairing substance.
When it comes to impaired driving charges that stem from drugs, there are many possibilities that can occur. The drugs that can cause you to be impaired can be illegal substances, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. Even something as seemingly harmless as taking an antihistamine for allergies can lead to criminal charges.
People who are pulled over for the suspicion of impairment will likely be asked what they have taken prior to driving. Even if you think that the substance was harmless, there is a chance that your statement can be used against you in court so be careful with what you say.
Law enforcement officers have a challenge in these cases because there aren’t any tests that can definitively determine how impaired the person is from the substances. The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test can determine this for alcohol, but no such tests can do this for other things. The issue is that substances can remain in the body long after the effects have worn off, so they aren’t accurate in determining impairment.
The defense strategy that you employ must be based on the circumstances of your case. Determining how to proceed is a big consideration since the goal of your defense is to poke holes in the prosecution’s claims regarding your actions.
