Drivers mustn’t do anything before they drive that impairs their ability to stay safe. One thing that many people might not think about when they are getting ready to get behind the wheel is how medications and drugs will impact them.
You might not realize that the medications and drugs you take can impact your ability to drive. Even drugs that seem fairly harmless, such as antihistamines, can cause reaction delays that are serious enough to lead to an accident.
Some prescription drugs can also lead to issues driving. In many cases, these have a notice on them that they might cause drowsiness or that you shouldn’t drive until you determine how the drug will impact you. This might make it difficult for you to get things done when you first start taking the drug, but you might save yourself from a legal headache by doing this.
Even illegal drugs can cause you to drive in an unsafe manner. Marijuana, even medical marijuana, can also lead to drugged driving. You have to be honest with yourself about how drugs are impacting your ability to drive before you decide to get behind the wheel.
The trouble with drugged driving charges is that there isn’t really a reliable way to determine if the drugs in someone’s system are actually still affecting his or her ability to drive. Many of these drugs remain in the body long after the effects have worn off.
People who are facing drugged driving charges should carefully consider the case against them to determine how they are going to handle their defense. This is something that might be complex, but it is a necessary action on your part.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drugged Driving,” accessed Sep. 28, 2017