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Can You Drive on Hydrocodone?

By San Diego Attorney on May 30, 2022

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone is a prescription opiate that can be taken as short-term or long-term medication for pain. It’s also sometimes used as a recreational drug and can be found in combination with other drugs, such as oxycodone or acetaminophen.

While hydrocodone is a prescription medication, it can impair your ability to function safely behind the wheel. If you are taking hydrocodone and have any plans to drive, it’s important to understand the law surrounding the use of hydrocodone while driving, as well as the risks associated with driving under the influence of this drug.

If you have been charged with driving with hydrocodone contact jD Criminal Defense Attorneys to help establish a defense.

How does hydrocodone affect your body? 

If you take hydrocodone in pill form, it will enter your bloodstream through your mouth and throat, where it travels to your liver to be metabolized into several other chemicals that affect how your body functions. Some of these chemicals include codeine and morphine.

Hydrocodone also affects the brain, lowering your breathing rate and heart rate and making you feel relaxed. It also slows down the parts of your brain that control judgment and decision-making skills, which could lead to dangerous driving practices.

This means that if you take hydrocodone before getting behind the wheel, it’s important to be extra careful when driving so that you don’t hurt yourself, or anyone else sharing the road with you.

The law surrounding hydrocodone

Hydrocodone is a Schedule II controlled substance, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and addiction. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies hydrocodone as a Schedule II drug because of its high potential for abuse. It does however have medical uses, such as treating pain or coughs.

When it comes to driving while under the influence of hydrocodone, this is illegal in all 50 states. In most states, this means that if you’re found guilty of having consumed hydrocodone within 24 hours of driving, then it’s considered an offense under state law.

However, some states like California consider even one pill an offense if you’re caught driving under the influence, with any amount present in your system whatsoever!

Penalties of infractions

Driving while under the influence of hydrocodone is prohibited. For those who have committed the offense four times or who have a prior DUI felony on their record, it is initially charged as a misdemeanor but may be upgraded to a felony.

Those accused of operating a vehicle while impaired by hydrocodone are encouraged to get in touch with the attorneys at jD Criminal Defense Attorneys for a consultation.

How a lawyer can help you

If you’re accused of using hydrocodone while driving, it can feel like the world is crashing down on you. You might not know what to do or where to turn.

That’s where we come in. At jD Criminal Defense Attorneys, we understand that people make mistakes and that they shouldn’t be held responsible for them forever, especially when those mistakes stem from an addiction they’re trying to overcome.

We want to help you get your life back on track after a tough break like this one. Contact us at (760) 630-2000.