Drugged Driving in Connecticut

 Posted on June 05, 2017 in Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence of any intoxicating substance is against the law in Connecticut. A drugged driving charge will likely include any punishment applicable in the case of a normal DUI penalties — drivers will be charged with driving under the influence. Any prior conviction of DUI, whether the prior charge was for drugs or alcohol, will be considered as a previous offense of DUI and the driver will likely face more severe punishments as such.

While DUI laws pertaining to alcohol prohibit any person from driving if he or she has a blood-alcohol content of .08 or more, there is no threshold standard for the amount of drugs that a person must have in his or her body to be charged with drugged driving. Any amount of drugs in the person’s system means that he or she is eligible to be charged with DUI. Prosecutors need only prove that the driver’s physical or mental processes were at the time affected by the substance and affecting his or her ability to control and operate a vehicle.

Although Connecticut does not have blood tests that it administers in the event of suspected drugged driving, the laws circumscribing the offense are the same as those involving alcohol. Any time a person gets behind the wheel in Connecticut, he or she is operating under the law of implied consent. This means that he or she submits to any required testing if requested by law enforcement. If the person refuses, the officer can immediately revoke and take possession of a person’s driver’s license — even before the case goes to court. A person is legally allowed the opportunity to call an attorney, however, before he or she submits to testing. This is particularly important. If you are pulled over and asked to take a blood, breath, or urine test for suspected drugged driving, it is a good idea to first contact an attorney. The earlier you involve a professional in the situation, the more likely it is that the incident will be resolved without long-lasting implications.

The punishments for drugged driving in Connecticut are similar to those for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Depending on the whether it is the person's first or subsequent offense, he or she will be subject to fines, loss of license, and possible jail time. Punishments increase in severity with subsequent offenses.

These laws are particularly important to understand now, as drugs like marijuana begin to become more socially acceptable and legally available. Driving under the influence of marijuana, for example, is illegal even if the driver has a medical marijuana card. If you or someone you know has been charged with drugged driving, the most important step is to seek legal counsel. Do not go through it alone. Contact an experienced Fairfield County defense attorney today.

Sources:

http://norml.org/legal/item/connecticut-drugged-driving

http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/state-stats/Connecticut.html

http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/intoxicated.htm