Energy Drinks and Drunk Driving in Oklahoma
Energy drinks – increasingly popular among tired Oklahomans and anyone just needing a boost – pose a risk for drivers in Oklahoma beyond just over-caffeination. These popular drinks do contain much more caffeine than soda, and the high caffeine levels could lead to side effects. And younger people may be more susceptible to the caffeine since they usually have lower tolerance levels than adults. But the combination of caffeine and alcohol could increase the risk for a DUI.
How Could Energy Drinks Increase DUI Risk?
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can depress bodily functions including heart rate and can slow reaction times. In contrast, energy drinks containing caffeine are stimulants, so they raise heart rate and can make people jittery.
People who combine energy drinks and alcohol may continue to drink more, not realizing their level of intoxication. The caffeine perks them up and keeps them awake despite the depressant effects of the alcohol. Feeling alert, they may operate motor vehicles while still under the influence of alcohol – and perhaps over the legal limit. Unfortunately, the caffeine may make it harder for someone who is drinking and people around them to recognize their impairment.
Driving While Impaired – A Risk with Caffeine?
You may wonder if the combination of alcohol and caffeine could lead to a driving while impaired charge. Oklahoma law prohibits “while […] ability to operate [a] motor vehicle is impaired by the consumption of alcohol, or any other substance, other than alcohol, which is capable of being ingested, inhaled, injected or absorbed into the human body and is capable of adversely affecting the central nervous system, vision, hearing or other sensory or motor functions”. 47 O.S. § 761. This definition includes driving while impaired by intoxicating substances or even by prescription or non-prescription drugs. Caffeine could qualify as a substance that adversely affects the sensory and motor functions and that could impair – at least in excess and in combination with alcohol.
In short, combining alcohol and highly caffeinated energy drinks with driving could create a dangerous situation. Reconsider drinking the two at the same time, especially if you plan to drive. If you have been arrested for DUI after consuming both alcohol and an energy drink, you probably need a lawyer. Reach out to a criminal defense lawyer in your area for help and advice.
Arrested for a crime during a DUI traffic stop? Seek out a DUI attorney with the know-how to tackle your case the right way from the start. Clint Patterson, Esq., of Patterson Law Firm, a former Tulsa prosecutor, now teaches other attorneys and law enforcement about sobriety testing techniques and defends Oklahoma drivers charged with DUIs. To schedule a case evaluation, visit Patterson Law Firm online or call Clint’s office at (918) 550-9175.