DUI Research Paper
Many DUI offenders were under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol when they were arrested. However, over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs can lead to a DUI arrest. Although DUI laws and how they are applied to prescription medication vary by state, you can get arrested for driving under the influence of prescription medications or any other legal drug that impairs your ability to drive.
Many prescription medications affect your ability to drive. Narcotic pain pills such as Vicodin or Codeine are mind-altering drugs that can affect your driving. Anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or sleep medications including Seroquel or Ambien also impair your driving ability. In most states, if you have taken any of these medications …show more content…
For example, if you took Seroquel the night before to help you sleep, that medication will still show up in your system the next day. If you have been pulled over for suspicion of DUI, officers could determine you are under the influence from a medication you took the night before, even though you were not under the influence of the medication at the time you were driving.
Keep in mind that any drug that impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle can result in a DUI charge, including the use of prescription drugs. The legal definition of "under the influence" is drugs or an alcoholic beverage affected your ability to drive to an appreciable degree. This definition applies in every state in the U.S. Therefore, you can be charged with a DUI if you drove while under the influence of prescription drugs.
Many prescription drugs produce side effects that impair your driving ability. Several drugs affect your motor skills, balance, coordination and ability to think clearly, even when you take the medication at the proper dosage. However, there is no measurable standard to determine your level of impairment if you have taken prescription drugs while driving. Unlike the standard blood-alcohol reading of .08 used across most of the U.S., law enforcement has no way to tell how much medication impaired your ability to
Many prescription medications affect your ability to drive. Narcotic pain pills such as Vicodin or Codeine are mind-altering drugs that can affect your driving. Anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or sleep medications including Seroquel or Ambien also impair your driving ability. In most states, if you have taken any of these medications …show more content…
For example, if you took Seroquel the night before to help you sleep, that medication will still show up in your system the next day. If you have been pulled over for suspicion of DUI, officers could determine you are under the influence from a medication you took the night before, even though you were not under the influence of the medication at the time you were driving.
Keep in mind that any drug that impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle can result in a DUI charge, including the use of prescription drugs. The legal definition of "under the influence" is drugs or an alcoholic beverage affected your ability to drive to an appreciable degree. This definition applies in every state in the U.S. Therefore, you can be charged with a DUI if you drove while under the influence of prescription drugs.
Many prescription drugs produce side effects that impair your driving ability. Several drugs affect your motor skills, balance, coordination and ability to think clearly, even when you take the medication at the proper dosage. However, there is no measurable standard to determine your level of impairment if you have taken prescription drugs while driving. Unlike the standard blood-alcohol reading of .08 used across most of the U.S., law enforcement has no way to tell how much medication impaired your ability to