At Owens & Perkins, Scottsdale DUI Lawyers, we know that Arizona has some of the toughest DUI laws in the country. Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) doesn’t necessarily mean alcohol; someone driving under the influence of illegal or even prescription drugs can face DUI charges. Even if you take prescription narcotics or opioids on a regular basis, they can still affect your ability to properly operate and control your vehicle. Be sure you know exactly how your medications affect you before getting behind the wheel. Even if you can offer proof of a valid prescription, you may still be arrested if the police find you were impaired “to the slightest degree.”
As stated above, driving under the influence of prescription pain medication can affect your judgment and could lead to your arrest if it affects your ability to properly operate and control your vehicle. But, in a recent case, an elderly manfailed to take his medication, which led to severe complications with his diabetes and caused him to crash into a populated area, striking several people and killing a young girl.
There are, of course, accidents that happen from unexpected medical emergencies, such as a heart attack or asthma attack, but if you’re taking medication for a serious condition such as diabetes or epilepsy and fail to take your medication, you may be convicted of a crime if your failure to take your medication led to or caused an accident. For example, the driver referenced above could find himself charged with vehicular manslaughter because he knew, or should have known, the dangers of not taking his medication.
If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence of a prescription medication, or face repercussions from an accident brought on by your failure to properly take your prescription medication, you need to protect your rights.
