In 2004, Pennsylvania began a program known as the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program.  The purpose of this program is to train police officers to determine if a driver is under the influence of illegal drugs, prescription drugs or other substances that impair a person’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.  This training program was developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) and approved by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (the “IACP”) and includes classroom study and hands-on exercises.  As part of the training, participants are required to conduct evaluations of subjects impaired by drugs.  The program also trains officers to recognize whether an individual is suffering from a medical condition rather than drug impairment.  Officers successfully completing the extensive course are certified by the IACP as Drug Recognition Experts, or DRE’s.  Several officers in the Pittsburgh area have completed this training and are certified as DRE's.

DRE training is a systematic process because it is based upon a complete set of observable signs and symptoms that are known to be reliable indicators of drug impairment.  However, it is important that all 12 steps of the process be performed according to the NHTSA training manual. A DRE never reaches a conclusion based on any one element of the examination, but instead on the totality of facts that emerge. The process is standardized and officers are taught that the testing must be conducted in exactly the same way, by every DRE, for every suspect. A DRE should never leave out any step in the examination, even if it is not expected to provide a positive indicator of the type of drug that the DRE may suspect is involved.

This is a relatively new area of DUI law and if you have been arrested based upon testing performed by a DRE, it is imperative that you contact an attorney immediately in order to have your case properly assessed.  Please contact me today at 412-429-4360, by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or through the contact page of this website for a free consultation.