You likely know not to drive after you've been drinking, but you may not be quite as careful about driving after you've taken prescription medication. Close to 70 percent of Americans take prescription drugs, and if you find yourself in this group, you need to be conscientious about how and when you operate a motor vehicle. While many arrests for driving under the influence are related to alcohol, police officers can also arrest and charge you if they believe that you're under the influence of prescription medication and aren't driving safely as a result. Here are three different ways that you can lessen the risk of your prescription medication leading to a DUI arrest.

Understand The Side Effects

Different prescription medications affect people differently, so it's always important for you to understand the side effects of whatever you're taking. This is especially critical when you begin to take a new drug, as it may have some unexpected side effects. Read the warnings on the label, talk to your doctor, and research the drug online. Doing so will give you an idea of how the medication might affect you. For example, some prescription medication will make you drowsy, which means that you shouldn't drive after taking it.

Note How It Affects You

Side effects aside, you should always be cognizant of how a particular type of medication affects you. Prescription medications carry long lists of side effect warnings, and the reality is that you may not face any of the side effects while someone else who takes the medication may face several of them. While it's still a good idea to shy away from driving when you've taken medication, understanding through trial and error how you feel after taking your medication can help you to know if you're good to drive.

Watch Your Dosage

You may be accustomed to driving several hours after you take your prescription medication, and may be able to do so safely. However, this won't necessarily be the case if you change your dosage. While you shouldn't generally adjust the dosage of prescription medication, many people do. If you're someone who will occasionally double your dosage of any medication based on how you're feeling, you need to be aware that the side effects may be more pronounced now. If you've been charged with DUI because of your prescription medication usage, get a DUI attorney to help you with your case.

For more information, contact a company like Thomas & Associates, PC.