The Dangers of Drugged Driving

We know drunk driving is a big problem in our country, but we don’t always worry so much about drugged driving. Driving while under the influence of any substance is dangerous, and more people need to be aware of it.

Legal Medications Causing Impairment

Sometimes people take medication that has been legitimately prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition. Many of us have some medicine from our doctor or over-the-counter that says, “do not operate vehicles while taking this medication”. While many people are effectively warned about the dangers and take heed, other people take their chances or are uninformed, and drive anyway. Driving while under the influence of certain drugs, even ones legally prescribed and taken, can be very dangerous.

Illicit Drugs Causing Impairment

Many other people drive while on recreational drugs. Someone who is out for a good time and doing drugs may feel the same as someone who is drunk from alcohol. Often these people don’t feel impaired and they think they can make it home safely in their car. But drugs, like alcohol, can cause an altered perception, loss of balance and coordination, slower reaction time, and other impairments, thereby making the driver dangerous. Thousands of people die every year from drugged driving accidents, and many more take their chances and get away with it for a time.

Preventing Drugged Driving

This December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. It is during this time that we work to tell of the dangers of not only drunk driving, but also driving while drugged. People, of course, still drive while under the influence of alcohol, but at least almost everyone knows it is dangerous. We see and hear campaigns about the dangers of drunk driving all over the place, but there are still some people that don’t recognize drugged driving as a problem. According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 10 million people aged 12 and older reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the year prior. (1)

Some people see smoking marijuana as being like smoking a cigarette. They don’t see much harm in the drug itself, so of course they don’t think they are a danger to others if they smoke pot and drive. The same thing is true with prescription drugs. If a drug is prescribed to one person, why can’t another person take it and be safe and drive safely? The truth is, though, that even some over-the-counter cold medicines can make use unsafe to drive.

This month as we work to decrease injuries and deaths from driving while under the influence of alcohol, let’s also educate about drugged driving. A motor vehicle is nothing to play around with, and someone that has been taking drugs, illegal or not, should think twice before getting behind the wheel. Some states have laws against driving a vehicle with any illicit drugs in the body, and other states have laws that are more vague than that. But there are many people who don’t even know the laws exist, or that they are necessary. Let’s save lives this December and get the word out about the dangers of drugged driving.

Sources

(1) NIDA InfoFacts: Drugged Driving

Cops add drugged driving to holiday checklist 

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month