Driving under any type of influence, whether it be alcohol or drugs is extremely bad. It can endanger you or someone else. It may even be dangerous to take some prescription drugs or over-the-counter medication.
Having drugs in your system, even in low doses can significantly impact your driving skills. Here we will break down the dangers of taking drugs while you drive.
Prescribed Medication
Even taking prescribed medication can be a danger when on the road if it gives you significant side effects when you take it.
Some prescribed medication can make you feel:
- Dizzy
- Nauseous
- Drowsy
- Light-headed
- Aggressive
- Shaky
There could be other side effects of taking prescribed medication. To be sure what they are, you should always read the labels on the medication bottle thoroughly and carefully. Talk to your doctor and ask them if it will affect your driving skill.
Depressants
If you paid attention to your safety driving course you would know that depressants can be things such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioid drugs such as heroin, oxycodone, and cannabis.
By using these substances or by combining them, you would feel the following when you drive:
- Slower reaction time
- Not able to concentrate
- Feeling drowsy
- Not able to process information
- Difficulty multitasking
Stimulants
Taking stimulants drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine will have effects on your central nervous system that will put your body under a lot of stress.
By taking these drugs frequently, you will eventually harm your heart and other vital organs. When taking them while driving you will notice:
- You become over-confidence
- You become more aggressive
- Fidgeting
- Not being able to pay attention
Psychedelics
Psychedelics are a type of drug that will change your perception of vision and mind. Some of them include LSD, magic mushrooms, and in some cases MDMA and cannabis.
These drugs will give you hallucinogenic effects, whether it be auditory or visual. You will see or hear things that are not there or exist and your reality will become distorted.
Some of the effects include:
- Blurred vision
- Hallucinations
- Confusion
If you are a teen and want to get more information on this, it’s the best search online for teen driving schools near me.
By reading the side effects of some of these drugs it’s clear and safe to say that when you take them, your driving skills will be severely impaired. To avoid this, simply do not take drugs. However, if you need to take your prescribed medication then wait a while so you won’t feel those side effects or arrange other forms of transportation and talk to your doctor about the side effect you feel.
