The dry season is here in Southern California and with it often comes a whole host of symptoms. Yes, those who suffer from seasonal allergies start sneezing, coughing, and rubbing their itchy eyes almost non-stop. Thankfully now there are plenty of over-the-counter and prescription medications available to offer relief to those who deal with seasonal allergies. The suffering doesn’t have to continue until the dry season ends – many people just pop a pill or take some liquid medicine and they’re good. Their symptoms clear up and they can actually enjoy the smell of freshly cut grass without sneezing ten times in a row.
But while allergy medicine provides some much-needed relief from seasonal allergy symptoms, it does have some rather hidden side affects that many people are completely unaware of…
Allergy medicine often contains certain antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or certain decongestants that can cause sleepiness.
While sleepiness might not seem like a big deal compared to having to blow your nose every 2 minutes during the dry season, it could lead to a serious unintended consequence:
A DUI charge.
But how could someone who’s just been taking medicine get arrested for DUI?
California law indicates that anyone who has been driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be arrested and charged with DUI. Drugs includes both over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and the problem is that California laws don’t specify how much of a certain substance is permissible in order to drive.
Subjective evaluations of supposed intoxication
So what sometimes happens is that a police officer evaluates a certain driver who’s taking anti-allergy medicine through questioning and subjecting him or her to field sobriety tests, all of which are incredibly subjective. Then a blood or breath test may become necessary, after which the police officer may decide to arrest the driver for DUI.
But there is still so much hope!
Since there isn’t a legal threshold for amounts of anti-allergy and other medications that indicate impairment, excellent DUI defense attorneys may successfully argue that the driver wasn’t impaired at all. There are various other legal strategies that may apply to a particular anti-allergy medicine DUI case and affect the ideal outcome.
Expert medicine DUI defense attorney: Dan Chambers
If you’ve recently been charged with DUI anywhere in Southern California after taking anti-allergy medication, you need legal assistance fast. No matter what the circumstances of your situation may be, Attorney Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm can help you. He knows all of the most effective strategies to prevent conviction in DUI cases, which has has been doing for multiple decades.
All prospective clients should contact the Chambers Law Firm immediately by calling 714-760-4088, emailing dchambers@clfca.com, or using the chat box below. You’ll be able to schedule a free initial consultation with Attorney Chambers, where he’ll give you specific legal advice about your case and start working on a solid defense strategy on your behalf right away.
Contact Attorney Chambers now – it’s your best bet for preventing a conviction in your DUI case.
