Seattle DUI Attorney

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DUI and Prescription Drugs

Almost everyone is aware of the fact that one can be charged with DUI or Driving under Influence of alcohol or illegal drugs like marijuana. However, few people know that one can also be booked for DUI if found driving under the influence of certain commonly available over the counter prescription medicines.

If the police officer on the scene concludes that your driving abilities are impaired for any reason, you will be arrested for DUI and it will be left for court to decide whether you are innocent or not. It is important to be aware of some basic facts when it comes to DUI and prescription drugs.

You can be arrested for DUI not only because of alcohol or drugs but even certain common medications.

Some of these seemingly innocent medicines produce side effects such as blurred vision, drowsiness and poor response time as well as co-ordination that are quite similar to that of alcohol. It is not possible for the police officer on the scene to perform tests for all types of brain altering drugs and his duty is limited to determining your ability to safely control the vehicle. So even if you pass the breath analyzer test, there are always chances that one can be charged with DUI while driving under the influence of such medications, even if they have been legally prescribed to you. On the other hand, some of the medicines can result in failure of breath analyzer test.

Many common drugs can induce similar effects like alcohol or drugs.

Though it is impossible to enlist all medicines that can cause a DUI, here is a list of most common prescription medicines and their potential side-effects that you should know:

• Medicines for Allergy, Cold and Flu: These medicines have side effects that include lack of concentration, poor coordination, drowsiness and anxiety. One should be very careful while consuming these medicines and avoid driving after taking them.
• Painkillers: Some of the medications for pain are known to produce drowsiness especially if taken in large doses.
• Sedatives and Tranquillizers: Some of the popularly prescribed medicines for sleep and stress can get you arrested for DUI. So you must only take these medicines when you are sure that you will not be driving any time soon.
• Other Drugs: Some of the less common cases of DUI by prescription drugs have been caused by medicines for diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure. There have also been instances where interactions between two medicines or interaction between a prescribed drug and alcohol has caused a person to be charged with DUI.

Laws are different in various states and are constantly evolving.

If you or anyone you know ever gets involved in a case where the person was driving under the influence of a prescription drug, it is vital that you contact an expert DUI attorney in that area immediately. DUI is a serious case and even though you may not have consumed anything illegal, a DUI case can be interpreted in different ways and have the potential to cause serious damage. Therefore having an attorney who is experienced in this field, will be a great advantage to you.

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