Sleeping pills are powerful pharmaceutical drugs, which are frequently taken by Athens GA residents to get a good night’s rest. What many people do not realize, however, is that a strong dose of sleeping pills taken late at night to aid in sleep could result in DUI charges the next morning. Indeed, in certain cases, drivers have been reported as engaging in “sleep driving” — a phenomenon in which an individual drives his or her car while asleep.
According to one report, approximately eight million people use sleeping pills every month. Nevertheless, these individuals are not often fully aware of the dangers of driving on sleeping pills. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration made a recommendation that doctors lower the prescribed dosage of Ambien, for example. The FDA cited reports that drivers were experiencing lingering drowsiness and even impaired driving the next morning.
Certain types of sleeping drugs have also been shown to cause memory problems, falls and daytime confusion among the elderly. Any medication — whether it is a sleeping pill or some other kind of pharmaceutical drug — that has this kind of effect on patients could certainly lead to an arrest and accusation of DUI. Whether that arrest leads to a DUI conviction, however, may be another story.
For those who are arrested for DUI while taking a sleeping pill in Athens GA, there are legal defenses and DUI litigation strategies that may better the person’s situation in court. Indeed, especially if no accidents or injuries are caused by the alleged impaired driving, an individual may be able to get the charges dropped or dismissed after explaining his or her situation. Ultimately, though, no results can be guaranteed no matter what the allegations are in a criminal matter. Therefore, it is important that drivers who utilize sleeping pills be fiully aware of their surroundings in the morning when they wake up so as to ensure that they do not inadvertently drive under the influence of their medication.
Source: thespec.com, 8 million people take sleeping pills, Jill Adams, March 26, 2014