Prescription Drugs that Can Potentially Put You in Jail for a DUI
All too often, when we think of getting pulled over and charged with a DUI (driving while under the influence), we picture lots of alcohol being consumed at a bar with your workmates and friends or even smoking a little too much recreational marijuana or both. But many folks who do not imbibe at all in alcohol or legal substances such as cannabis end up getting pulled over by law enforcement and charged with a DUI anyway. But this time, the culprit is prescription and over-the-counter meds. Regardless of the substance involved, if you’re accused of this offense, you might need a DUI Attorney to help you out. They are experts at dealing with these cases and can offer support.
The Law Offices of Aaron M. Black, PLLC, says prescription drug DUI attorney in Phoenix, AZ, legal medicinal drugs that cause you to feel drowsy will also impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely. A number of prescription pills are said to cause some form of impairment. They include powerful prescription meds such as opioid pain relievers and codeine. Also, some allergies and cold medication can make you so drowsy that they can lead to a potential DUI if you get behind the wheel of your car.
According to a recent report by GoodRx Health, back in 2021, the Foundation for Traffic Safety engaged in a study on over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication that can potentially impair your ability to drive a vehicle safely. It discovered that about 50 percent of licensed drivers who ingest legal medications were considered unfit for getting behind the wheel of their cars. It’s said that around 50 of the people who took prescription or OTC meds within two hours of driving their car or truck were said to be too drowsy to drive. Full stop.
Even if you’re taking these meds as prescribed and directed by your physician, they will still have an effect on your driving. That’s because while some of the medications make it difficult to think straight, others make you drowsy.
That said, here are some of the most dangerous OTC and prescribed meds you can take when it comes to driving your vehicle.
Opioid Meds
Opioids are powerful medications. They work by blocking certain signals in the brain. Some of the side effects they can cause include lightheadedness and sleepiness. These effects will most definitely impair your ability to drive safely. Some examples of opioid meds include hydrocodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone (OxyContin).
Although no longer considered to be an opioid, dextromethorphan, or Delsym, is an OTC med engineered for bad coughs that can have a similar effect on the brain. Once you take it, you can expect to feel lightheaded and sleepy. If you take a large enough dose, you might feel inebriated. It can even cause you to hallucinate.
There are said to be cold and flu medications that contain dextromethorphan, which means it’s imperative that you check the label prior to purchasing. Two of these products are Mucinex DM and Deconex DXM.
Anxiety Meds
Benzodiazepine or BZD and Alprazolam or Xanax are designed to slow your central nervous system down and, therefore, relax your muscles. It’s because of this that these meds are able to treat acute anxiety, seizures, and panic disorders. Other times, they can be used to treat chronic insomnia. The side effects can include distorted vision, sleepiness, and dizziness, which will most definitely impair your ability to safely operate a moving vehicle.
Some other types of BZDs can include lorazepam or Ativan and diazepam or Valium. If you have no idea if your prescribed medication is a BZD, you need to check in with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also Google the medication and examine the results of your search.
Antiseizure Meds
Says GoodRX Health, antiepileptics are prescribed meds that are engineered to prevent sudden seizures. Carbamazepine (Tegretol and Carbatrol) and Valproic acid are said to be common varieties of this antiseizure medication. The medication will impair your driving ability due to side effects such as drowsiness and the ability to perform “normal body movements.”
Depression Meds
Depression in the U.S. is said to be at epidemic levels. Thus, the term “Prozac Nation.” But Fluoxetine or Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI that can attack certain parts of the nervous system that are causing you to be severely depressed. While said to be highly effective, Prozac can impair your safe driving capabilities.
Other varieties of depression meds or antidepressants like norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, and tricyclic antidepressants, or TCAs, can be effective in making you feel better but can be detrimental if you decide to get behind the wheel within two hours of ingesting them.
After all, antidepressants are famous for causing bad side effects such as drowsiness and dizziness. While these symptoms are said to be more common during the first few weeks of engaging in medication therapy, they are usually expected to improve over time. But no matter what, do not operate a vehicle on the roads if you are taking this medication during the daytime hours. Perhaps it’s better if you take them prior to going to sleep at night. As always, it’s best to check in with your healthcare provider to determine the best course of action when it comes to antidepressant medication.
Allergy and Nausea Meds
Allergies and nausea are commonly treated with antihistamines. The drugs can either be prescribed by your physician, or they can be acquired OTC. Common varieties of antihistamines are dimenhydrinate or Dramamine, hydroxyzine or Vistaril, and diphenhydramine or Benadryl.
Antihistamines will cause you not only to feel sleepy but also to have a slower braking reaction time. This slow reaction time is said to be more common with “first-generation antihistamines such as diphenhydramine. However, cetirizine or Zyrtec is a second-generation allergy medication that will also cause you to feel drowsy.
Many OTC cold, flu, and sleep meds are known to contain antihistamines. This is why it’s so important to read the product labels and use them with extreme caution prior to getting behind the wheel of your vehicle.
Sleeping Meds
The good news about prescription sleep meds is that your healthcare provider will usually direct you to take them just before bedtime. Since the meds are engineered to make you sleepy, you should not plan on driving after you’ve ingested the prescribed amount. Some of the more common examples of popular sleep meds are Sonata or Zaleplon, Lunesta or eszopiclone, and Ambien or Zolpidem.
Keep in mind, although these meds are designed to be taken before you go to sleep, they can remain in your body for a considerable time. For instance, it’s said that Ambien can impair your driving the next morning, even if you took it the previous night prior to going to sleep. It’s not the best news for those who experience challenging morning driving commutes.
Antipsychotic Meds
Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are commonly treated with antipsychotic medications, which are known to impair driving ability. This is mainly due to side effects like drowsiness, uncontrolled body movements, and eyesight issues. Some of the more popular examples of antipsychotic meds are Risperidone or Risperdal and Clozapine or Clozaril.
Stimulant Meds
A stimulant is defined as any medication that speeds up the body’s normal functions. Maybe you’re under the impression that a stimulant will make you a better, more alert driver. However, stimulant meds have been involved in many incidents of dangerous driving.
For instance, a recent study demonstrated that commercial truck drivers who took stimulants to enhance their performance on the road maintained a five times higher risk of a fatal accident than those drivers who relied more on getting a good night’s sleep to energize their bodies naturally.
Stimulant meds are known to worsen working memory or movement, which all contribute highly to impaired driving ability. Popular prescription stimulants include methylphenidate or Ritalin. They can also include certain OTC meds like pseudoephedrine or Sudafed and caffeine.
In the end, if you’re going to drive, don’t ingest any medications that can impair your ability to safely operate your vehicle. You not only risk being pulled over and slapped with a DUI, but you also run the risk of killing yourself or another innocent person.
