What You Need To Know About Getting A Prescribed Drugs DUI Charge

When you think of DUI charges, you may often think about driving under the influence of alcohol or other illegal substances. Yet, you may also face a DUI charge if impaired while driving your car on prescription drugs. 

In this regard, you may get charged because of your impaired ability to operate machinery and vehicles. While you may feel that the impairment was against your will, you may be unsure what to do next. Below are some things you should know about getting a DUI on prescribed drugs.

When Do You Get a DUI on Prescribed Drugs?

You get a DUI charge if you are under the influence of drugs when driving. If you are under the influence of prescribed medications, you will receive an impairment DUI charge.

Although your substance test may come out clean, you may still get DUI charges if you have a poor performance on a field sobriety test. Impairments involve dizziness, slower reaction time, decreased hand-eye coordination, and extreme drowsiness.

Ideally, your healthcare provider may advise you to avoid operating vehicles or heavy machinery while using the medication. As a result, you will avoid DUI charges and increase the safety of other road users.

What Should You Do After Getting the Charges?

There are different penalties for DUI charges on prescribed medication. In addition, the penalties vary depending on whether it was your first or subsequent charge. Therefore, hiring a professional DUI defense attorney is advisable. The attorney will help with the legal process to help you avoid the harsh consequences of DUI charges.

One of the ways the DUI lawyer might fight the charges is by saying you mistakenly took the wrong pill or someone drugged you involuntarily. In this regard, your lawyer may present the case to show you were not aware of the side effects of the medication before driving.

Your DUI defense attorney may also examine the procedures that initiated your testing. For example, suppose there was a violation of your rights or no reasonable suspicion for a police officer to stop you. In that case, your DUI lawyer could suppress the case, preventing you from facing harsh legal penalties.

Getting a DUI on prescribed drugs can affect your records negatively, leading to several inconveniences like the inability to land vetted jobs. Therefore, knowing the above facts can help you prevent a DUI arrest. However, if you have already received DUI charges, ensure that your talk to a DUI defense attorney to help you with the legal process. 

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