Washington State Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

Driving under the influence (DUI) does not only pertain to alcohol consumption; a driver who drives under the influence of drugs—even prescription or over-the-counter drugs—may be charged with this crime. Driving under the influence of drugs in Washington State is much more than a simple traffic violation—it is a serious criminal offense. If you are facing DUI drugs charges, you should immediately speak to an experienced Washington defense attorney.

A drug may be defined as any substance that impairs a person’s driving abilities. This may include illegal substances such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin; as well as prescription medications, such as amphetamines or barbiturates; and even over-the-counter medication, such as cold medicine. If you or your vehicle is searched by law enforcement after being pulled over, and you are found to be in possession of illegal drugs or medication that is not prescribed to you, you may also be charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, which in most cases, is a felony.

To determine if you are impaired, the law enforcement officer may ask you to perform a series of voluntary field sobriety tests, which could include the walk-and-turn test, the one-leg stand test, and the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. The officer may also ask you to take a blood test to look for the presence of drugs in your system—by driving in this state, you have given your implied consent to such testing—and if you exercise your right to refuse the test, your license may be revoked for at least a year.

Washington State police officers may undergo Drug Evaluation Classification (DEC) courses in order to become certified Drug Recognition Experts who identify signs of drug impairment. In a driving under the influence of drugs case, the officer may testify that your appearance and behavior during the traffic stop led him or her to believe you were impaired by drugs. For example, he or she may say your eyes were bloodshot, your speech was slurred, or you were talking rapidly. A skilled defense attorney may offer arguments against the officer’s observations.

The penalties for driving under the influence of drugs include mandatory jail time, fines, probation, license suspension or revocation and the requirement that you drive only vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device to detect alcohol (this last requirement is new beginning January 2011). You may also face increased insurance premiums once your insurance provider learns of the conviction or administrative action on your driving record.

Callahan Law assists citizens who have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs. We will look at your case to determine if proper police protocol was followed and if your chemical test results were accurate, or whether there were problems in the testing procedures. We understand how important your right to drive is, and are prepared to aggressively defend your case.

To learn more about how to fight your Washington DUI drugs charge, please contact Callahan Law for a free case evaluation today. Please visit our main DUI site at http://www.dui-defender.net/ for further information.