Prescription Drugs and Driving
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It is never a good idea to partake in prescription drugs and driving. Many prescription drugs and medications influence the systems in the brain that alter one's motor skills, judgment and reaction time. The operation a motorized vehicle while taking prescription drugs accounts for many serious injuries and even fatalities every year. In an extensive study conducted on prescription drugs and driving, almost 3,400 fatalities occurred from drugs including drug prescriptions from 1990 to 1999 [Drummer OH, Gerostamoulos J, Batziris H, et al. The incidence of prescription drugs in drivers killed in road traffic crashes. Forensic Sci Int]
Why Is Prescription Drugs and Driving Dangerous?
Prescription drugs and driving, being influenced by many medications , including benzodiazepine and opiate analgesics, wil alter the cognitive faculties required for operating a vehicle safely. Drug prescriptions impair one's perception, coordination, balance, reaction time and attention. The effects of perscription drugs varies and is contingent upon their intended purpose, consumptive intake, history of the prescription drug user and many other influencing mechanisms. Most prescription drugs display warning labels against the operation of machinery and motorized vehicles during a period of time after the drug has been consumed. Read labels carefully before taking a perscription medication.
How Am I Impaired Through Prescription Drugs and Driving?
The intake of prescription medications can cause any number of impairing effects on the body when partaking in prescription drugs and driving: The consumption of antipressants and sedatives up to 10 hours before driving a vehicle is the equivalent to driving under the influence of alcohol. 10mg of over-the-counter sedatives can impair one's driving greater than a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1 Allergic reaction antihistamines retard reaction time and alter motor coordination Prescription decongestants cause dizziness, drowsiness, and anxiety among other impairments for prescription drugs and driving. Additionally, the following drug prescriptions are not safe to use while operating a vehicle: Alcohol-containing medicines Allergy medicines Amphetamines Anti-anxiety medication Antibiotics Antidepressants Anti-nausea medicine Anti-seizure medicines Barbiturates Blood pressure medicines Blood sugar medicines Caffeine-containing medicines Cough syrups Decongestants Motion sickness medication Narcotic pain medications Paregoric Sedatives Stimulants Tranquilizers Ulcer medication.
What Are the State Laws Regarding Prescription Drugs and Driving?
The legislation for driving while under the influence of prescription drugs has lagged behind alcohol laws. Impaired driving as a result of pharmaceutical medicines is difficult to determine primarily because one cannot easily identify whether a drivers driving pattern is poor due to unsafe levels of prescription drug intake. However, most states have implemented a "per se" law which illegalizes the operation of a vehicle under any level of detectable drug influence in the blood. Many police officers are now trained to identify associated characteristics in one's appearance and behavior in an individual who is under the influence of prescription drugs and driving. State laws describe driving under the influence of drugs as operating a vehicle when a drug "renders the driver incapable of driving safely".
The operation of a motorized vehicle while on prescription medications is not only a risk for the driver, but also a threat to passengers and other drivers who share the road. Never operate a vehicle while taking prescription drugs and always consult with a physician before starting any medication program.
