Broward DUI Lawyer Blog

A recent study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that from 2005 to 2009, drug use among those killed in traffic accidents is on a steady rise.

At the same time, there are few officers who are certified in determining whether drugs were a factor in the crash and, if so, what types of drugs were the cause. That's why fighting a DUI charge involving drugs in Fort Lauderdale is so crucial. Law enforcement will try to use any evidence they can dig up against you and sometimes it's not credible, so being prepared by hiring Fort Lauderdale DUI Lawyers could help you fend off a jail or prison sentence.

According to the NHTSA report, data from fatality accidents was collected over a five year period from 2005 to 2009 and among 21,798 drivers who were killed in 2009, 63 percent were tested for drugs. Of them, 3,952 tested positive for drug involvement, which is 18 percent of the total. Using similar data in previous years, the study found that in 2008, the total was 18 percent, 16 percent in 2007, 15 percent in 2006 and 13 percent in 2005.

The study also pointed out that not every driver killed was tested for drugs and that there is a disparity among states regarding the extent of the drug testing that was conducted. The study also noted that drug involvement doesn't necessarily imply impairment or indicate that drug use was the cause of the crash.

A story from the Patriot Ledger in Brockton, Massachusetts recently reported that there are only 77 officers trained and certified to recognize signs of impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs in that state. Numbers from Florida aren't available, but officers here must go through a strict course through the Institute of Police Technology and Management. The institute reports that 5,000 officers worldwide are certified, which is less than 1/10 or 1 percent of all officers.

So, odds are if you pulled over and charged with DUI involving drugs, the officer may have no idea how to prove it. This is where Fort Lauderdale DUI Lawyers come in. We are trained to spot when law enforcement and the state try to sneak in a piece of evidence that has no business being seen by a jury. In Fort Lauderdale felony DUI cases or even DUI manslaughter cases can benefit greatly by challenging such evidence. Even when an officer has been "trained," we hold such training in no more regard than field sobriety testing. An officer looking for evidence of your guilt will usually find it -- plain and simple. We could seek to suppress that evidence under the law so that a jury isn't tainted.

We offer aggressive defense of these cases because we understand how traumatic they can be for the defendant. And we act as a checks and balance system for police, who often go too far with their aggressiveness in trying to turn an arrest into a conviction. We will uphold your rights and fight for what's right.