Drugs and Driving

Driving while impaired by drugs is illegal and subject to the same penalties as driving while impaired by alcohol.

Besides alcohol, there are many drugs that can affect a person’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. This is true for many prescription drugs, as well as over-the-counter medications for allergies and colds. If a person is taking medication, they should be sure to check the label for warnings about the medication’s effects prior to driving. If they are not sure it is safe to take the drug and drive, they should ask their doctor or pharmacist about any side effects.

Alcohol and drugs should not be consumed at the same time. Mixing alcohol and drugs often multiplies the effects of the alcohol and any other drugs. For example, one drink, when you are also taking an allergy or cold medication, could have the same effect as several drinks.

Illegal drugs and controlled substances, such as marijuana, also affect a person’s reflexes, judgment and alertness along with their many other dangerous side effects. These drugs can give a person a false sense of alertness and self-confidence or make a person drowsy and unable to react to simple situations.