NyQuil is one of the most popular cold and flu medicines. It also contains a sleep aid. The idea is that your body really needs to get rest to heal from the sickness. The medicine does not cure you, but it makes you tired and reduces your symptoms so that you can sleep, and then your body works on healing itself.
But what if you take NyQuil and then drive? Could you face any legal issues?
You can get a DUI on more than alcohol
Many people who think about DUI charges equate them with “drunk driving” and nothing else. They assume that drinking alcohol — specifically — and then driving is what can land them in legal trouble.
In reality, though, a DUI charge is a charge for driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance. You can absolutely be under the influence of something other than alcohol. If it makes it harder for you to drive safely and an officer notices that, you could get arrested. There are plenty of stories of people getting arrested for driving under the influence of prescription drugs and even over-the-counter medications like NyQuil.
After all, many of the symptoms are the same. NyQuil may make you tired and you may find it harder to concentrate on the road. This can lead to driving errors like drifting out of your lane that, to an officer who is watching you drive, look the same as if you were drunk.
What are your legal options after a DUI arrest?
Naturally, you do not want one simple mistake while taking medicine to ruin your future. You need to know what legal options you have when facing charges for driving under the influence.
