Few people would argue that impaired drivers present a significant danger to everyone on the road, including the driver. For this reason, every state, including Pennsylvania, has laws against driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Every year, the Pennsylvania State Police release reports regarding the DUI arrests made the previous year.
According to the report for 2017, troopers made 19,963 arrests for alleged drunk driving here in Pennsylvania. That represents a 1 percent increase from the prior year. It was not indicated whether those arrests were for cases involving suspected alcohol or drug use. Driving while impaired by drugs is not limited to illegal ones; it also includes over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Certain troopers receive training as drug recognition experts. Those officers receive enhanced training in order to help determine whether a driver is under the influence of drugs during a traffic stop. In 2017, 631 evaluations of drivers were conducted by DREs. These numbers appear impressive, but not every DUI arrest results in a DUI conviction. Every individual arrested retains the right to challenge the charges.
When it comes to DUI arrests, much of the probable cause for them relies of the subjectivity of the arresting officers and the results of testing done with equipment that is sometimes of questionable accuracy. These are just two of the reasons that no one should simply plead guilty to drunk driving charges. Other reasons include the fact that a conviction could radically affect the personal and professional life of anyone. In many cases, the potential criminal penalties represent just the beginning of an individual’s concerns when it comes to a conviction.
