Drugged Driving Can Lead to Serious Injury or Death

Causes of car wrecks vary greatly, and many accidents are preventable. One such cause is drugged driving. When a driver chooses to get behind the wheel after taking something that impairs their abilities, they are willingly putting themselves and others in danger.

Some individuals think that drugged driving is only associated with illegal drugs. This isn’t the case since there are many prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs that have effects that can alter a person’s ability to drive safely.

Hallmarks of Impairing Substances

Any substance that slows your reaction time or affects your cognitive abilities should be avoided if a person is going to drive. Some medications warn of dizziness or drowsiness. These are signs that a driver should avoid taking them if they are going to have to get behind the wheel. Many come with a warning that operating heavy machinery should be avoided after taking the drug, which is another indication.

Since some medications will impact people differently, it might be possible to drive after taking them. This should only be done if the person has already taken the substance before and hasn’t had any impairing effects. Typically, it is best to avoid driving after taking a medication that might change your abilities.

Since illegal drugs don’t come with warnings and might affect a person in a different way each time they take it, driving should always be avoided after taking them. This also includes marijuana. Even though some states are decriminalizing the drug, it is still illegal to drive while impaired by it. People taking more than one drug or medication, including drinking alcohol with another substance, should avoid driving since abilities can be greatly impacted by the combination.

Effects of Drugged Driving

The effects of drugged driving can be devastating for the victims and their families. A drugged driver can cause a wreck that leads to catastrophic injuries for innocent people on the road. While some minor injuries like bruising and broken bones might be possible, others like spinal cord or brain damage are also common. In some cases, innocent people can die in these crashes.

People who are injured and the family members of those who are killed in a drugged driving crash might choose to seek compensation. This can help them to cover the financial damages they have due to the negligent actions of the driver who took impairing substances before starting the engine.