In last week’s Koon’s Watch, I shared with you how drugged driving is the same as driving while you’re drunk. If the drug is illegal or prescribed by a doctor, your driving could become impaired when you use it. Drivers should consider even a commonly prescribed drug’s effect on their driving skills.
New medication or increased dosages can affect people differently. If you are taking a new prescription drug or a higher dose of a current prescription drug, do not drive until you know what effect it has on your judgement, coordination and reaction time.
Even if a doctor writes a new prescription or increases a current dosage, be sure to discuss with the doctor how the drug might affect your driving abilities and whether it is safe to drive while taking the medication. You can also ask the pharmacist when you pick up your prescription. Always report all medications to the doctor (prescription, over-the-counter and illegal) so the doctor may accurately provide counsel on whether it is safe to drive while taking the medication.
Certain medications may not impair you on their own, but if taken with a second medication or with alcohol, they may cause impairment. Even something as simple as cold medication or an over-the-counter sleep aid can impair driving. If it does, you will be arrested for a DUI. Remember, any form of impaired driving is illegal. If you feel impaired, take your car key and “Pass It On.”