Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving while impaired are seriously illegal in the state of Maryland. This may be your first contact with the judicial system and you have already been arrested. When you are arrested for something related to alcohol, many things can happen to you; the most serious is receiving a sentence of one year or more in prison, depending on the circumstances of your arrest. Additionally, you may lose the right to drive for an extended period of time, regardless of whether you have been convicted of the DUI charges or not. It is crucial that drivers in the state of Maryland are familiar with their legal rights in this difficult situation so they know how to cooperate effectively with the police.

In Maryland, once you have been found suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or impaired to drive, you have certain rights to protect your liberty, as well as responsibilities. For example, the officer will ask you to submit to various field sobriety tests, including a preliminary breath test. You are not required to carry them out, although many drivers do. The problem with these field sobriety tests is that they are often given on the side of the road, at night, in the dark, while the driver is nervous. So these tests could be performed properly under the perfect conditions. There is a large margin that these tests will not be passed on the aforementioned conditions.

A knowledgeable driver in the state of Maryland should know that there is no legal basis for you to submit to these tests and the results are often used against you. Even the preliminary breath test is also not legally required and the decision not to take it will not bring negative consequences. Either way, for those who choose to undergo these tests, the police will use the results as evidence along with other indicators such as alcoholic breath, red eyes, and slurred speech to support the case against you in court.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for an alcohol-related offense, you should seek competent and assertive representation. You have legal rights that must be exercised in time, or you could lose them.

The Law Offices of Bruce M. Robinson, PA has successfully defended impaired driving cases for over a decade.

Contact us immediately for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call 443-213-0345. Service 24 hours a day.