People take over-the-counter and prescription medications without thinking much about how it will impact them. When one of the activities that you need to do is drive, you need to make sure that you don’t have any medications in your system that will make this unsafe. It is possible to face an impaired driving charge if you’re caught driving when you’re under the influence of legal medications.
The key point that you have to think about when you’re trying to determine whether you’re fine to drive or not is how the medication is making it difficult for you to make the decisions necessary to drive. If you can’t make sound decisions or if your movements are slowed in any fashion, driving isn’t a good idea.
Not all medications have the potential of impacting your ability to drive. Read the warnings for the medications you’re taking. Some will warn you about operating heavy machinery, and others might state that you may experience fatigue or dizziness when you take it.
Unfortunately, you can’t just claim that you didn’t know how the medication would impact you if you’re pulled over for impaired driving. You can still face criminal charges because you aren’t able to drive at your normal and safe capacity.
The case against you is likely going to hinge on statements made by you and by the observations of the police officer at the scene of the traffic stop. Be sure that you remember your rights throughout the process so that you don’t say anything that might be used against you. Additionally, try to remember what is said and done during the stop since these might be important components in your defense strategy.