# What's the Straight Dope on spiked drinks and the law?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-spiked-drinks-and-the-law/563565>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 9, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-spiked-drinks-and-the-law/563565 "2010-12-09T19:15:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-spiked-drinks-and-the-law/563565/21 "2010-12-10T23:49:22Z")

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> [@Amasia](#):
>
> It depends on the law in a given jurisdiction. Many drunk driving laws are considered strict liability- that is, the intent of the person being charged is not considered. In that instance, the “I didn’t know” defense doesn’t work because knowing isn’t part of the crime.

I think that this is correct. Involuntary intoxication might excuse you from violation of other laws or for tort claims, but DUI is simply a strict liability offense. Count me in with the people who say that even if you have never taken a drink in your life, to approach DUI levels you would be asking to go to the hospital if you thought you were just drinking soda and felt a .08 buzz.

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**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-spiked-drinks-and-the-law/563565/22 "2010-12-11T00:04:33Z")

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As I understand it (I was actually told this in the UK) you are entirely responsible for the vehicle you are driving, and making sure it is road-worthy. Legally speaking, if you drive your brand new RV trailer off the lot and the axle immediate snaps and it plows into a school. Then you are responsible even if you had no idea the RV wasn’t roadworthy and every reason to think it was.

I would imagine (IANAL) the same thing would extend to the driver of the vehicle. You are responsible for knowing whether you are “roadworthy” in terms of drink , drugs or tiredness (and I’m guessing illess). How you came to be drunk/stoned/tired does not matter as far as the law is concerned.

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