Most Wisconsin drivers assume operating while intoxicated (OWI) charges only apply to alcohol or illegal substances. However, that assumption could cost you. In fact, Wisconsin’s OWI law covers far more than most people realize. Common, everyday substances, even ones found in your medicine cabinet, can actually lead to a charge that disrupts your life and your record. To understand how, you need to know what the law actually says.
What Wisconsin’s OWI law actually covers
Wisconsin law bans driving under the influence of an intoxicant. The key standard here is whether a substance makes you incapable of safely driving. That definition is broad by design. It covers alcohol, drugs and anything else that impairs your ability to drive. The law doesn’t care if the substance is legal. It only cares if you are impaired. That wide reach is what catches so many everyday drivers off guard, including with substances you may already have at home.
Five substances you need to know about
Now that you know how broad Wisconsin’s OWI law is, here are five common substances that put you at risk:
- Allergy medications: Common antihistamines make you drowsy and foggy, which can cause sloppy driving and a failed roadside test.
- Sleep aids: Sleep medications stay in your body well past bedtime and can leave you too impaired to drive safely the next morning.
- Anti-anxiety medications: Prescription anxiety pills slow your reaction time and can give an officer reason to charge you with OWI if you swerve or brake too late.
- Hazardous inhalants: Huffing computer dusters or similar sprays carries the same criminal penalties as drunk driving under Wisconsin law.
- Muscle relaxants: Muscle relaxers make you sluggish and unsteady, and a valid prescription won’t protect you from an OWI charge if you’re too impaired to drive.
What all five have in common is that they impair your ability to drive safely, which is exactly what Wisconsin law looks for. Thus, staying informed is the best protection you have before you ever start the car.
Staying safe on the road
Before you drive, always check whether your medication could affect your ability to drive safely. If you ever find yourself in a situation you didn’t see coming, remember that understanding your rights and your options matters just as much as understanding the law itself. No one should have to face an OWI charge alone, especially when the circumstances aren’t always black and white.
