In Arkansas, impaired driving crimes usually come with serious consequences, hefty fines and more. But it is not just drugs and alcohol that can cause a person to get a DWI.
Certain medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, can also impact a person’s ability to operate their vehicle safely.
Potentially dangerous medications
According to the Food and Drug Administration, some medications can interact dangerously with driving. They can have various effects, including causing extreme drowsiness in a driver, impacting their decision-making or even making their vision blurry.
Some of the medications known to interact badly with driving include:
- Anxiety medications
- Codeine
- Opioids
- Antidepressants
- Muscle relaxants
- Anti-seizure drugs
Effects can vary, with some coming quickly and lasting for just a few hours while others may take longer to manifest and last for an entire day. Always read the labels on medication to ensure that they do not have negative effects which may interfere with a driver.
Drugs with side effects
Almost every medication on the market comes with some sort of side effect, even if it is mild or hardly noticeable. Some effects are more prevalent than others, with numerous medications having them listed.
Some of the most common of these effects include drowsiness, dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, excitability and difficulty with concentration.
These are all potentially dangerous things when driving, where concentration is of utmost importance. Just one wrong move could result in a potentially fatal crash, so it is always best to heed the warnings on a package and not mix medications with driving.
