There are many ways to face impaired driving charges. Alcohol is the most common. If you drink and drive, you could be arrested if an officer believes you are impaired or if you are over the legal limit of a BAC of 0.08%.
Additionally, you could face impairment charges if you have been using illegal drugs. People do get arrested for driving with substances like cocaine, marijuana, heroin or methamphetamines in their system. Many of these drugs can last far longer than alcohol impairment.
But what about drugs that are completely legal for you to have and use, such as prescription medications? Could they also lead to legal trouble?
Operating heavy machinery
Not all prescription medications prohibit driving, but many do. The key is to look at the warning label. It may say something to the effect that the medication can cause fatigue and other symptoms and that you should not operate heavy machinery after taking it.
On one hand, this means you should not use power tools, construction equipment and other machinery that people generally imagine when thinking about “heavy machinery.” But the key thing to remember is that this also refers to a motor vehicle, so driving your car after taking these medications could lead to impaired driving charges. You may have a legal prescription, but you still have to consider when you take the medication and what you do immediately afterward, or you could inadvertently violate the law.
If you find yourself facing such serious allegations, especially if you did not realize that you had done anything wrong, it is important to know exactly what legal steps to take.