If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI for driving under the influence of Xanax, you should immediately contact Xanax DUI Defense Attorney Los Angeles at The H Law Group to defend you and keep you from going to jail and losing your driver’s license.
Many of our clients come to us believing that they can only be charged with a DUI for driving under the influence of illegal or nonprescription drugs, but the reality is that a person can be charged with a DUI for driving under prescription drugs, such as Xanax, which is the brand name for Alprazolam. Xanax is usually prescribed as an anxiety fighting medication, but is often misused and not taken as prescribed.
The law that prohibits persons from driving under the influence of drugs, including Xanax is California Vehicle Code Section 23152(f) VC. So, whether the Xanax was prescribed to you or not, you can be charged with a Xanax DUI under Vehicle Code 23152(f) VC. You should not take a Xanax DUI lightly as a conviction of this crime carries a maximum jail sentence of up to six months for first-time offenders, suspension of your driver’s license, and payment of hefty court fees and fines.
So, if you have been charged for driving under the influence of Xanax, you should immediately contact a Xanax DUI Attorney at The H Law Group to represent you and reduce the consequences that you face. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at 1 (213) 370-0404.
Xanax, along with other benzodiazepines, such as Klonopin and Valium, can lead to drowsiness, sleepiness, and lightheadedness, which are all things that can impact your ability to safely drive a motor vehicle.
Anything that impairs your ability and prohibits you from driving as would a sober person exercising reasonable caution can lead to you being arrested for a DUI. Xanax is a drug that leads to many DUI arrests. We understand that you may not have been aware that you can be charged with a DUI for taking Xanax, but the reality is that you can be charged with and convicted of a DUI for driving under the influence of Xanax.
Many studies have been conducted on the effects of Xanax on a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, and some found that the driver’s taking only 1mg of Xanax had their ability to drive safely impaired, often weaving in and out of traffic. So, yes, you can be charged with a Xanax DUI if you choose to take this drug and drive while under the influence of it.
If you have been charged with a Xanax DUI in violation of California Vehicle Code 23152(f) VC, you should immediately contact a Los Angeles Xanax DUI Defense Attorney at The H Law Group to defend you and keep you from going to jail and losing your driver’s license for a long period of time.
Usually, a person is caught driving under the influence of Xanax after being pulled over by a police officer for committing a traffic violation, such as running a red light, driving with expired tags, weaving in one’s lane. Whatever the reason for the stop, police officers use the stop to investigate other violations, such as driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
If the police officer notices things, such as slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, or drowsiness, this signals to him that you might be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Officers have special training that allows them to recognize when a driver is impaired, this includes training to recognize whether a person is driving under the influence of benzodiazepines, such as Xanax.
At this point, if the police officer forms enough suspicion that you’re driving under the influence of Xanax, he may ask you to perform roadside sobriety tests. You have the right to refuse such testing, but if you already performed these tests, the results will be used against you by both the police officer and the prosecutor.
Although you have the right to refuse roadside sobriety testing and roadside chemical tests, if you’re arrested and taken to the police station, you must comply with an officer’s request to perform chemical or blood testing. Of course, if you have been arrested for driving under the influence of Xanax, the officer will most likely ask you to provide him with a blood sample that will be tested to determine whether Xanax is in your blood.
If the test reveals that Xanax was in your blood, the test results will be used against you to convict you of a Xanax DUI.
If you’re in the unfortunate situation of being charged with driving under the influence of drugs, such as Xanax, you should immediately contact an experienced Xanax DUI Lawyer Los Angeles to represent you and fight for you in court.
Our attorneys can request that the blood sample is taken from you be retested to show that the amount of Xanax in your blood is too low to cause any impairment to your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
If you have been arrested for a Xanax DUI and nothing else was in your system, such as alcohol, you do not face an administrative suspension of your driver’s license, meaning the DMV will not automatically suspend your driver’s license. However, if you are convicted in criminal court for driving under the influence of Xanax in violation of VC 23152(f), your license will be suspended once you’re convicted.
To keep your driver license and avoid having to go to jail, you should contact an experienced Xanax Defense Attorney at The H Law Group as promptly as possible. Our attorneys will look over the facts of your case and prepare the best possible defense strategy. We have handled thousands of DUI cases, so we have the knowledge and experience necessary to provide you with the best possible criminal defense.
If the prosecution convicts a person of a Xanax DUI, he or she faces the following potential penalties and consequences:
No, breathalyzers cannot pick up Xanax, they are only designed to detect the amount of alcohol that’s in your system. However, just because you’re breathalyzed, does not mean that you’re off the hook. If the police officer arrests you, he can take you into custody and order you to perform blood tests and other chemical testing that can detect the presence of Xanax in your system.
People take Xanax because it increases the intake of certain neurotransmitters, which results in a sedative and hypnotic feeling for the person taking it. As such, many choose to take and drive, not knowing that they can be charged with a Xanax DUI for such conduct.
Having a Xanax prescription may help your attorney when negotiating a plea deal for you, however, you can still be charged with and convicted a DUI for driving with Xanax in your system. The fact that you had a prescription does not prevent the prosecution from prosecuting you to the fullest extent of the law.
If you or a loved one has been charged with driving under the influence of prescription or nonprescription drugs, such as Xanax, you should immediately contact an Experienced Xanax DUI Attorney in Los Angeles at The H Law Group to defend you and keep you from going to jail and losing your driver license for a very long period of time. Our attorneys have represented thousands of clients charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and/or drugs, so rest assured your future is in great hands. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or below or by calling us at 1 (213) 370-0404.
Yes, you can still be charged with DUI if you are impaired while driving, even with a valid prescription. The law prohibits driving under the influence of any substance that affects your ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Officers may use field sobriety tests, breath tests, and drug recognition evaluations to assess impairment. Blood tests can also determine the presence of Xanax in your system, but they do not measure impairment directly.
Yes, a Xanax DUI charge can be contested. Possible defenses may include questioning the legality of the traffic stop, challenging the accuracy of field sobriety tests, or arguing that the prescription dosage did not impair driving.
While both involve impaired driving, Xanax DUIs can be more complex because there is no established legal limit for benzodiazepines like there is for alcohol. This can make it harder to prove impairment in court.
Yes, if you are involved in an accident while under the influence of Xanax, you may face additional charges, such as vehicular assault or reckless driving, especially if others are injured or property is damaged.
