According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cannabis is the most commonly used federally illegal drug throughout the United States. It is estimated that as many as 19% of Americans have used it at least once since 2021. When a person uses cannabis, it will affect different parts of their brain that are responsible for coordination, attention, decision-making, reaction time, and more. When a driver gets behind the wheel and operates a motor vehicle, they can put themselves and others at greater risk of harm if they have used cannabis or other mind-altering drugs.
While law enforcement has options to test drivers when they believe they are under the influence of alcohol, such as the breath test to measure Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), they do not have a specific roadside test that reliably measures a driver’s level of drug impairment. However, they do have Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). A DRE is a specially trained officer who may conduct more extensive examinations of a driver to identify possible drug impairment.
If you have been arrested for DUI in Illinois, it is imperative that you have effective and experienced legal representation. To have your case reviewed, you can call the Chicago DUI defense lawyers at Glasgow & Olsson.
What Are DREs and How Do They Affect Drivers in Illinois?
Law enforcement in Illinois will investigate suspected DUI offenses involving alcohol, prescription medications, cannabis, and other substances. Specialized officer training gives police additional tools to recognize potential drug impairment in drivers.
DREs are police officers who receive advanced training to evaluate drivers and identify signs that they may be intoxicated by drugs. As a result, if you are driving around the state of Illinois and an officer believes that you may be driving under the influence, a DRE may:
- Conduct a detailed evaluation of your appearance, behavior, coordination, speech, and physical responses.
- Perform tests such as eye examinations, balance and coordination, and take measurements of your pulse and blood pressure.
- Ask you detailed questions about medications, drugs, and alcohol that you may have consumed, as well as what your most recent activities were.
- Using the information gathered, an officer can form an opinion about whether you are impaired and, in some cases, what category of drug may be responsible.
- An officer can recommend or request that you take a chemical test such as blood, urine, or oral fluid.
While a DRE has particular knowledge of how to detect potential drug impairment, their evaluation does not directly measure how much of a drug may be in a driver’s system. It is the officer’s assessment of impairment based on the observed signs and the results of the tests that were administered. A subsequent toxicology test would be needed to provide additional evidence.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
DREs are relevant in Illinois because drug-impaired drivers can be prosecuted even when alcohol is not present.
When facing a DUI charge, the quality of your legal representation can shape the course of your life. At Glasgow & Olsson, we don’t just practice DUI defense—we help define it.
Thomas Glasgow is widely recognized as a leading authority on DUI law in Illinois. He lectures statewide for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, contributes to the definitive DUI legal manual used by attorneys across the state, and is a trusted legal voice on major networks including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your freedom, reputation, and future are on the line, experience, judgment, and respect matter most.
Speak with our Chicago DUI defense attorneys today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.