There are a number of drug recognition tests that law enforcement officers use to substantiate their belief that someone is under the influence while operating their vehicle. While these tests only pick up illegal drugs, the type of substance in one’s system can determine the severity of the charge.
It is important to know, however, that you always have a right to refuse any drug test, including those related to an alleged DUI. A skilled driving under the influence attorney could help examine your legal options following an arrest and defend your best interests in court. With the help of a Charleston drug DUI testing lawyer, you could achieve a successful outcome no matter the results of the test.
Common Tests Used in Drug DUI Cases
The most common tests used to identify substances in drivers are urinalysis and blood tests, both of which require toxicologists to perform lab work. The lab would run a test on someone’s blood or urine to determine the presence of any potential substances that could have caused impairment while driving. Probably the most common drug these tests reveal across the country is marijuana, since it is the most accessible, legal in some states, and a substance that cops are on the lookout for.
The accuracy of these drug tests depends on a number of different factors, including which lab is doing the testing. Sometimes, labs have a history of being unreliable in their results, so attorneys may request that the sample be preserved so they can do their own independent testing to determine whether the initial reading was accurate.
Drug test errors can also stem from how the testing machines are being analyzed, possible cross-contamination, or the way in which a sample was stored. There are a number of different reasons these tests can give out inaccurate results and legal counsel familiar with drug DUI testing could use this doubt to build your case for court
Can Alcohol and Drug Interactions Affect a DUI Charge?
Mixing drugs and alcohol really does not affect the prosecution of a DUI case in Charleston. If a defendant has multiple convictions of DUI in the past, they are likely going to be prosecuted more vigorously regardless of whether they were impaired due to alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two.
Likewise, the approach to defending a DUI case is going to be the same regardless of the particular substances involved. If DUI drug tests suggest there are drugs in someone’s system, a Charleston lawyer would focus on the quantity of those drugs and whether they would cause impairment while driving. Either way, the potential penalties do not necessarily become more or less serious with a mix of drugs and alcohol in a person’s system.
Can Prescription Drugs Interfere with DUI Tests?
If law enforcement officers find that someone took a particular prescription drug and had something to drink in close proximity with one another, they are likely going to reach the conclusion that the person is too impaired to drive a car. It would be up to legal representation to challenge that assertion in court later, but in the short term, someone who informs a law enforcement officer that they recently consumed both a prescription drug and alcohol would likely be arrested.
These types of situations are litigated in the same way that regular alcohol or other drug DUIs are litigated. The outcome of such a case in Charleston depends on what the drug DUI tests show and whether the government has all the evidence needed to prove someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of being under the influence when driving a motor vehicle.
Learn More about Tests for Drug DUI in Charleston
There is no substitute for experienced legal counsel when contesting accusations of driving under the influence of drugs, especially when it comes to arguing that the results of chemical tests are insufficient or flawed. Talk to a hardworking lawyer today about how these tests could impact the outcome of your Charleston drug DUI case. A defense attorney is ready to help you.
