- 01
- June
2010
Impaired driving is usually associated with alcohol consumption, but the problem of driving under the influence in Arizona is increasingly drug-related. From 1999 to 2009, the number of drug-related DUI cases soared 230 percent, from 4,440 to 14,700.
Some of the drugs underlying DUI arrests are legal prescription drugs, particularly sleep aids and anxiety drugs. Arizona officials are arresting many people who don't realize they are committing any crime, or don't believe they are responsible for driving under the influence; they are simply taking medications prescribed by doctors. However, a doctor's prescription doesn't change a driver's ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances, as is necessary to drive safely.
Of course, the simple use of prescribed drugs for legitimate purposes is only one of the aspects of the increase in drug-related DUI arrests. More frequently, police report that people using prescription drugs for legitimate purposes run afoul of the law when they take multiple prescription drugs that interact with one another, or when they combine prescribed drugs with alcohol use or recreational drugs. The drug combinations produce effects that any one of the drugs alone would not, rendering individuals unable to maintain control while driving.
Unfortunately, a lack of understanding, awareness or intention does not change the fact that drivers under the influence of drugs can pose a serious danger to other people on Arizona roads. When a driver doesn't have full control of his or her vehicle, the driver is more likely to cause serious car accidents resulting in life-altering injuries.
If you or someone you love has been harmed by of a drugged driver, you do not have to face the consequences alone. Contact the Breslo Law Firm to discuss your potential legal claims and available remedies.


