Most people know better than to drive drunk. But how many think twice about driving after taking a prescription painkiller, smoking marijuana, or using a nighttime cold medication? The effects can be just as dangerous, and the person who pays the price is often someone who never took a drug at all.
What kinds of drugs affect your driving ability? Common medications and recreational drugs can slow reaction times, interfere with judgment, and contribute to crashes that leave other motorists seriously injured.
If you’ve been injured by a drug-impaired driver, Meshbesher & Spence is ready to help. We’ve spent more than 60 years standing up to negligent drivers and insurance companies on behalf of injured people. Call (612) 339-9121 or contact us online for a free case review.
8 Drugs That Can Make Driving Dangerous
A driver doesn’t have to be falling asleep or driving erratically to be impaired. Certain drugs affect depth perception, others interfere with split-second decisions, and a few can make drivers dangerously overconfident.
1. Prescription Painkillers and Opioids
Opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine are prescribed for moderate to severe pain. They can cause drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, and slower reaction times.
A driver affected by opioids may fail to notice slowing traffic or respond too late when another vehicle enters an intersection, increasing the risk of rear-end and intersection collisions.
2. Marijuana and THC Products
Marijuana can interfere with attention, coordination, perception, and the ability to track moving objects. Drivers under the influence of THC may struggle to maintain their lane, judge distances, or respond to pedestrians and cyclists.
Edible cannabis products take longer to take effect than inhaled marijuana. A driver who consumes an edible before leaving home may experience increasing impairment during the trip.
3. Sleep Medications
Prescription sleep aids such as zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta) can affect alertness and coordination well into the following morning.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that certain sleep medications can impair driving even when a person feels awake. Lingering effects may cause a driver to miss a stop sign, drift into another lane, or react too slowly to traffic.
4. Allergy and Cold Medications
Certain over-the-counter medications, including diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and nighttime cold remedies, can cause drowsiness and interfere with concentration.
Driving-related side effects include:
- Slower responses to traffic signals and brake lights;
- Blurred vision;
- Dizziness that affects vehicle control; and
- Reduced attention to surrounding traffic.
Not every allergy or cold medication causes impairment. Drivers need to follow product warnings before operating a vehicle.
5. Anti-Anxiety Medications and Sedatives
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan, and Valium slow activity in the central nervous system, interfering with concentration, coordination, and reaction time.
These effects increase collision risks when drivers must brake suddenly or respond to changing traffic conditions. Combining benzodiazepines with alcohol or opioids can intensify impairment.
6. Muscle Relaxants
Muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and carisoprodol (Soma) are prescribed for muscle spasms and related pain. Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and reduced coordination.
Drivers experiencing these effects may struggle with steering, braking, or maintaining a safe following distance.
7. Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Other Stimulants
Cocaine and methamphetamine can increase impulsivity, aggression, and overconfidence. Drivers under their influence may speed, tailgate, run traffic signals, or attempt dangerous passes.
High-speed collisions can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and multiple fractures. As stimulant effects wear off, severe fatigue creates additional hazards.
Prescription ADHD stimulants may improve attention when taken as directed, although misuse carries risks.
8. Antidepressants and Other Psychiatric Medications
Certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, and other psychiatric medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or blurred vision, especially when treatment begins or dosages change.
Many people take these medications without driving impairment. Those experiencing side effects should consult their healthcare provider before driving.
Driving under the influence of drugs is a choice that can seriously injure someone else. If you were hurt because another driver was impaired, Meshbesher & Spence can investigate the accident and pursue a claim against the responsible driver. Call (612) 339-9121 or contact us online for a free case review.
How Drug Impairment Increases the Risk of Serious Accidents
A few seconds can determine whether a driver avoids a collision. Drugs that interfere with reaction time, judgment, or coordination reduce the ability to respond when traffic conditions change.
Common drug-related driving behaviors include:
- Delayed braking: Increasing the risk of rear-end collisions.
- Lane drifting: Contributing to sideswipe and head-on accidents.
- Poor distance judgment: Leading to unsafe turns and merges.
- Aggressive driving: Encouraging speeding and tailgating.
- Reduced awareness: Causing drivers to overlook pedestrians, cyclists, and traffic signals.
A pedestrian struck by a driver who fails to brake may suffer multiple fractures or a traumatic brain injury. A motorist hit head-on may face emergency surgery, months of rehabilitation, and permanent physical limitations.
For injured victims, medical appointments, missed work, and the need for help with daily activities can continue long after the accident.
Prescription Drugs Can Impair Your Ability to Drive Safely
A prescription doesn’t guarantee that a person is fit to drive. Painkillers, sedatives, and sleep medications can affect alertness and coordination even when taken as directed.
Risks increase when drivers start new medications, change dosages, or combine substances. Alcohol mixed with opioids, benzodiazepines, or sleep aids can intensify sedation.
The FDA advises patients to review medication warnings and discuss driving-related side effects with healthcare providers or pharmacists. Drivers experiencing impairment have a responsibility to avoid operating a vehicle.
A valid prescription doesn’t necessarily shield someone from civil liability after causing an accident. The driver’s conduct and available evidence help determine whether negligence occurred.
Can You Sue a Drug-Impaired Driver Who Wasn’t Arrested?
An officer may suspect drug impairment without having enough evidence to make an arrest. Testing takes time, and results may not establish how impaired the driver was when the collision occurred.
A positive toxicology result doesn’t necessarily establish impairment, and the absence of an arrest doesn’t mean the driver was safe to operate a vehicle.
An arrest or criminal conviction isn’t required to pursue a personal injury claim. The civil case focuses on whether the driver’s negligence caused the collision and resulting injuries.
Criminal charges can carry fines, license suspension, or incarceration, but the outcome doesn’t determine whether an injured person can seek compensation. Police evidence may still support a civil claim even without a conviction.
Proving Drug Impairment When the Insurance Company Pushes Back
A driver admits to taking medication but insists it didn’t affect their driving. Or a toxicology report identifies THC, and the insurance company questions whether the driver was impaired when the crash occurred.
Proving drug use doesn’t necessarily prove it caused the collision. Evidence must connect the driver’s conduct to what happened on the road.
That may involve examining:
- The driver’s actions: Running a red light, failing to brake, or making an unsafe turn.
- Toxicology findings: Substances detected, sample collection times, and what the results establish.
- Witness observations: Unusual driving, confusion, or poor coordination.
- Crash reconstruction: Physical evidence showing how the driver responded before impact.
- Medical evidence: The victim’s injuries and their connection to the collision.
Compensation may include medical treatment, lost earnings, future care, and the physical and emotional effects of the injuries.
Insurance companies may dispute impairment while separately challenging compensation. Supporting the claim requires evidence of the driver’s negligence and the resulting harm.
Injured by a Drug-Impaired Driver? Put Meshbesher & Spence on Your Side
If a driver under the influence of drugs caused your accident, you have every reason to hold them accountable. With more than 60 years of experience, Meshbesher & Spence knows how to pursue serious injury claims and challenge insurance companies that refuse fair compensation.
Call (612) 339-9121 or contact us online for a free case review. Tell us what happened, and we’ll discuss your options for pursuing a claim.
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