Alcohol is naturally the main contributor to DUI cases. Most drivers who face charges are intoxicated or impaired by alcohol, which is why a breath test is one of the main types of evidence police officers will use. This breath test can measure someone’s blood alcohol concentration to determine if they’re over the legal limit.
But it is possible to get a DUI even if you haven’t consumed any alcohol at all, and so you would theoretically pass that breath test. Here are two ways that could happen.
This is especially true now that many States, including Missouri, have made it legal to possess small quantities for both recreation and medical use.
Using illegal substances
First and foremost, the use of illegal drugs can also lead to impaired driving charges. It’s the impairment that’s illegal, not the fact that it was alcohol. Substances like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine or something of this nature can certainly lead to charges. The testing process may be a bit different, and drivers could also face additional charges since they shouldn’t have possessed or used illegal drugs in the first place.
Prescription medication
One thing that some drivers don’t realize, however, is that they also need to be careful about how they use prescription medication. It can often have serious side effects, such as fatigue, cognitive confusion and the like. In fact, many prescription medications come with instructions telling people that, while using them, they can’t operate heavy machinery. What this means is that they’re not allowed to drive a car, or they could face criminal charges.
If you find yourself facing DUI charges, the ramifications could include fines, jail time, a license suspension and more. it’s very important to understand all of your criminal defense options.