Seattle DUI — Driving While Medicated
Everyone knows you shouldn't drive while intoxicated because it not only risks your life
, but you risk the lives of others. Most people think DUI charges only stem from alcohol or illegal drugs. However, the truth is you can get a DUI Seattle for driving under the influence of anything that leaves you impaired. This means you also risk a DUI charge if you're driving while impaired by prescription or over-the-counter medications.
Driving under the influence means driving while impaired by anything that affects your ability to drive safely. If you're pulled over and an officer deems you impaired, you'll be arrested, regardless of what has impaired you.
This article looks at how prescription and over-the-counter medications can result in a DUI charge and why hiring a
Seattle DUI lawyer is critical to protecting your future from the seriousness of a driving while under the influence of drugs charge.
Over-The-Counter Medicines
Although cold, flu, and allergy medicines might make you feel better as they ease your symptoms and fever, they can also cause drowsiness, dizziness, an inability to concentrate, loss of coordination, and can even make you incoherent in severe cases.
If you're sick, it's never a good idea to get out and drive. Just because you feel better after taking over-the-counter medications, doesn't mean you're well and okay to drive. In fact, if you look at the boxes of most over-the-counter medications, you'll see warnings that state you should not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking these drugs.
Prescription Medications
Illegal drugs and over-the-counter medicines aren't the only drugs that can result in a DUI charge. Prescription medications that cause drowsiness, dizziness, loss of muscle coordination, loss of focus, and more and so cause you to drive unsafely and potentially get you pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, even if they're critical to your health.
The most common prescription drugs that cause the symptoms are sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, and antidepressants, but symptoms that can impair your driving can occur while taking any prescription drug.
Just as with over-the-counter medicines, you have to be careful when taking prescription drugs and driving. One of the easiest ways to determine whether you may have issues driving before you get behind the wheel is to check the warnings that come with your prescription medications so you're aware of any common reactions that may affect your driving ability.
While both over-the-counter medicines and prescription medications are legal, they can still result in a DUI, just as alcohol is legal and can result in a DUI. The penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs is the same as driving under the influence of over-the-counter and prescription medications. That's why you should never submit to any type of testing, including a field sobriety test, a breathalyzer test, or a blood test.
If you're ever pulled over for DUI and arrested, consult a
Seattle DUI attorney immediately. You've already taken a good first step in protecting yourself by refusing DUI testing. By consulting a good DUI lawyer, you're taking a great step toward protecting your future.
Seattle DUI Driving While Medicated
By: Garvey Law Offices
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