When people think about anything related to driving while intoxicated, their thoughts are generally centered around alcohol. The reason there is such a close association between DWI charges and alcohol is the majority of cases do involve this specific substance. Additionally, most of the education around DWI laws focuses on topics like blood alcohol content.
No discussion about driving under the influence would be complete without saying that it’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel of a car when you’re drunk. Even though finding a different way to get home may seem inconvenient or expensive, those things pale in comparison to having to go through the process of dealing with a DWI arrest.
However, what many discussions about DWI’s overlook is the fact that not driving drunk isn’t a guarantee of avoiding this type of charge with absolute certainty. There are plenty of grey areas that make it possible for a police officer to arrest and charge someone with a DWI despite the individual not believing he/she is drunk or even at the legal limit.
A common example is when someone has a couple drinks over the course of dinner or a night out and still ends up being arrested for driving under the influence. Anyone who finds himself in that type of situation should contact kingwoodcriminaldefenselawyer.com as soon as possible. The phone call is free and you will get immediate competent advice over the phone that can alleviate a lot of the fear and stress you feel. Call 281-358-9111 anytime.
Alcohol Isn’t the Only Substance That Can Lead to a DWI
In addition to the grey areas that surround blood alcohol content levels, a lot of people are unaware of the fact that it’s illegal to drive a car under the influence of many types of prescription drugs or even over the counter drugs if mixed with even a small amount of alcohol.
Antihistamines are notorious when mixed with alcohol for causing a person to appear intoxicated. The fact that certain circumstances result in prescription drugs being viewed in the same light as street narcotics can come as a surprise.
Due to an inadequate amount of public education about this aspect of DWI’s and the fact that more people than ever before are being prescribed different types of drugs by their doctors means that there is a growing number of DWI charges resulting from prescription medications. Plenty of people who find themselves in that type of situation think that their prescription will actually protect them from this charge. Unfortunately, not being publicized enough doesn’t change the fact that Section 49.04 of the Texas Penal Code is very clear on this issue:
“A person commits an offense if the person is intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle in a public place.” Clearly this offense is wide open in its interpretation of intoxicated. And is no defense to the charge of DWI just because your doctor prescribed the medicine you are taking.
Get Professional Legal Help with a DWI Charge
If you’ve been charged with a DWI for prescription drugs, kingwoodcriminaldefenselawyer.com
can help. We can thoroughly investigate your case and develop the strongest defense possible. For a free private consultation about your case, contact my office by calling (281) 358-9111.
