But did you know you could also be arrested and charged with DUI for driving under the influence of prescription and over the counter medications?

The term DUI boils down to driving under the influence of something that affects your ability to drive safely. Anything that impairs your driving ability can cause you to be arrested and charged with DUI. Since police officers can’t test for every kind of drug or alcohol at the scene after pulling you over for unsafe driving, it’s the officer’s job to determine whether you are physically capable of getting back in the car and driving home safely. If an officer deems you can’t get back in the car, it means you can actually be arrested and charged with DUI, even if you weren’t under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

This article looks at the prescription and over the counter medications that can result in a DUI Seattle charge and why hiring a Seattle DUI lawyer is critical to defending this type of charge.

Cold, Flu, And Allergy Medications

Cold, flu, and allergy medications can ease your symptoms and make you feel better, but taking these medications can also make your drowsy, dizzy, incoherent, and result in a loss of muscle coordination, which can make driving (and passing a field sobriety test) difficult. That’s why you’ll often see on the warning label of these medications that you should not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking them.

These types of over the counter medications can also affect your ability to concentrate and can even make you overly anxious, two other signs police officers look for when evaluating a person for DUI. Even the non-drowsy formulas can cause dizziness and anxiety.

Prescription Medications

Even prescription medications can result in a DUI, especially tranquilizers, anti-depressants, and sedatives that cause drowsiness, dizziness, and a loss of muscle coordination and focus. Prescription medications used to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes can also cause drowsiness and dizziness, especially when accompanied by low blood sugar.

While all prescription and over the counter drugs have a legitimate and legal medical purpose, they can have adverse effects on some users. The penalties for driving under the influence of these drugs can be just as stiff as the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs. That’s why consulting an experienced Seattle DUI attorney is just as important for this type of DUI charge.

A Seattle DUI lawyer will be able to mount a defense if an officer finds you were driving while impaired by prescription or over the counter medications. Always be smart when taking any type of legal medications and follow the instructions and warnings. If you are ever arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated by legal medications, your first step should be consulting a Seattle DUI attorney immediately.