Drunk driving isn’t the only thing you can get a DUI for. In fact, a DUI can also stand for drugged driving, which is something that’s being seen more often in America. When people drink and use drugs, they increase their risk of being in serious crashes.
Drugged driving doesn’t have to be a result of using illegal substances. Simple, over-the-counter medications can also cause impairment, which could lead to a collision. For this reason, you should always use your medications well before you need to drive, so you have time to see how they affect you.
According to MADD, one in four drivers tests positive for substances that could affect their ability to drive safely. That doesn’t mean that everyone reacts to medications in the same way, but it does mean there is a potential for medications to cause people to drive in dangerous ways.
MADD goes on to explain that 4,300 people are killed every year as a result of teen alcohol use and that combining drugs, even those taken over-the-counter or by prescription, with alcohol could significantly increase your risk of a collision.
What should you do if you’re arrested and didn’t drink?
If you’re being arrested for a DUI knowing that you took a medication that could have impaired your ability to drive safely, it’s a good idea to discuss your legal options before conversing with the police. Don’t admit any wrongdoing. Medications don’t always affect people the same way each time, so there may have been no way for you to have know you’d be unable to drive safely.