Many people don't consider prescription medication as something that could get them in legal trouble. The truth is, prescription medication can land you in as much trouble as a street drug in some cases. Here, you'll find information about prescription medications and how they influence your driving.

Driving Ability

If your ability to drive is impaired due to medication, you could face the same charges as someone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You know that warning on some medications – "Do Not Use Heavy Equipment" – well, they aren't talking about skid steers or back-hoes – they're talking about vehicles of any kind.

If a police officer witnesses swerving, distance judgment or failure to follow laws of the road, he could pull you over, perform sobriety tests and take you to the hospital to have a blood draw performed to see what drugs are in your system at the time.

The Prescription Itself

Is the prescription yours? If you're taking a medication that was prescribed to someone else, you're breaking the law. If you're caught driving while impaired due to taking someone's medication, not only could you get in trouble, but so could the person that you took the medication from.

Behavior and Appearance

Police officers are trained to identify drivers who are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. So, when the officer comes to your window, he'll be looking for several things – the appearance of your eyes, for one: are they glassy and red? Your patterns of speech – If you're slurring your words or your mannerisms seem off, a blood sample may be requested.

Legal Charges

The truth is, if you are charged with driving under the influence of medication, you're in nearly as much trouble as those who are caught driving under the influence of alcohol. The best way to face these charges is with the assistance of a drug offense lawyer. He or she knows the ropes and knows what to look for to get the charges reduced or dropped.

In some states, you could lose your driving privileges for as little as thirty days for your first offense, or several years if this isn't your first time or you caused an accident while driving while impaired by the medication – in fact, you could even end up in jail.

Avoid driving while taking medications that make you feel loopy. Don't take anyone else's medications and always talk with a lawyer if you've been charged with driving under the influence while taking medication. To learn more, contact a lawyer like Cheryl Brown Attorney at Law.