Calamitous car crashes can occur for innumerable reasons. One of these causes can be a driver on prescription medication. Those who take certain medications may find themselves drowsy, with slow reflexes, or suffering other effects. When affected as such, their driving skills are likely to be dubious and they may represent a danger to themselves and others. For these reasons, it is important to know how prescription medication can affect your driving.
First, understand why you are taking the medication, the amounts that you should take, and the times that you should take it. Additionally, you should know what to do if you miss a dose and what the possible side effects are. Your doctor can tell you all of this information.
Your doctor can also tell you how taking it can affect your driving. Take warnings about this from your doctor very seriously. Remember, by erring on the side of caution, you can save lives. If there is any possibility that your prescription medication can adversely affect your ability to drive, be sure to be extra vigilant to avoid a dangerous accident.
You also need to be aware of the interactions among different prescription medications that you take. The interactions might render you unfit to drive, even if either of them alone might not. There are also interactions between prescription medications and various kinds of food that can render you unfit to drive. This, too, is something that you should discuss with your doctor at length, making sure that your pharmacist and your loved ones are fully informed as well. Following this advice will make roads safer for you and for others on or around them.
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “How to Read a Prescription Label,” accessed March 15, 2016