Generally, a DWI arrest would mean getting arrested for drinking alcohol and driving. However, certain medications that you take would sometimes make people drive their vehicles erratically even though they do not contain any alcohol. Sometimes, this can lead to your arrest. Therefore, it would be better to hire the services of a DWI Houston attorney in order to protect yourself.Anything Can Get You In Trouble
Even the simplest of medications that have been officially prescribed by your doctor can get you in trouble since driving after taking them is also illegal. The doctor’s orders are simply no defense to charges related to driving after taking drugs. According to experts, at least 10 million American citizens have been found driving under the influence of prescription or non-prescription medications by far. According to NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 18% of the drivers who have been fatally injured have been tested positive for drugs – prescription or illegal. In such cases, you must take the help of an efficient DWI Houston lawyer to fight your case.
Measuring Drug Impairment
Driving with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.08% is illegal in all the states across the United States of America. Since alcohol is flushed from the body very quickly, it is easier to take the blood and breathe tests of a person at the time of a DWI stop. However, unlike alcohol, prescription medications remain in the body for a really long time, making it possible for the legal authorities to trace them very easily. This will often result in a conviction or a guilty plea if the roadside tests were carried out according to protocol. However, you need not give yourself up to the law, especially if you did not know that it is illegal to drive under the influence of prescription medications. Simply call a DWI Houston attorney to protect yourself.
Consult Your Local Drugstore
Some medications can be as dangerous as alcohol and you should always ask the customer service personnel at your local drugstore whether the drugs that have been prescribed by your doctor can be taken before driving a vehicle or not. Look for warning labels too on the medication so that you can be on the safe side. If you or a loved one has been arrested for driving under the influence of prescription drugs, you should also consult an experienced lawyer. Even if you hold a doctor’s prescription, you would still be charged with a DWI without considering the fact that you hold one. This is because all the drugs hold a potential for impairing your senses, according to the law. An experienced and skilled DWI lawyer will be able to evaluate all the evidences that he or she has personally collected in order to defend your case along with the results of the variegated procedures that were used by the law enforcement officers to collect evidences from you. In fact, he or she will ensure that your legal rights are protected and that you are not unnecessarily convicted under the DWI laws.
