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Dangerous Driving Behaviors: Drug-Impaired Driving

Car accident
By Michael LoGiudice
Founding Attorney

Drug-impaired driving is dangerous driving. This holds true whether you are talking about illegal drugs or legal drugs, whether they be prescription or over the country. Driving while impaired by a drug compromises your ability to safely operate a vehicle and properly react to road conditions. That is why it is illegal in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, to drive while impaired by any substance.

Dangerous Driving Behaviors: Drug-Impaired Driving

It merits emphasizing that impairment by any substance, legal or illegal, makes it dangerous and a violation of the law should you choose to operate a vehicle. Different substances can impair a person in different ways but will reduce a person’s ability to safely drive, nonetheless. Cocaine and methamphetamines, for instance, have the potential to make a driver more aggressive and reckless. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can make a person drowsy or dizzy, among other potential side effects. The use of multiple substances at the same time can amplify impairing effects of each drug.

Marijuana can also have a profound impact on a person’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. While some may assert that marijuana use makes them a better, more relaxed driver, scientific studies have shown that marijuana can have significantly detrimental effects on a driver. Marijuana can impair a person’s motor skills and cognitive functions. On top of this, it can also impair a person’s lane tracking abilities. Taking all of this together, it is clear that marijuana use can easily impair a driver to the point where they are dangerous to be on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 56% of drivers that were involved in serious or fatal crashes between October of 2020 and December of 2020 tested positive for at least one drug. It is clear that drug-impaired driving is a problem and that people are getting seriously injured as a result. There are, however, steps we can all take to address this pervasive issue. For instance, if you are taking medication, read the warning labels and follow directions. There are often warnings against “operating heavy machinery” after use. This would include operating a motor vehicle. Additionally, evaluate how you feel after using a substance. It can be difficult for a person to assess their potential level of impairment. According to the NHTSA, a good standard to follow is that if you feel different, you drive differently. Wait until you feel back to normal before going for a drive.

If you are planning to use a substance, plan for a designated driver. If you see your friends using a substance, volunteer to be a designated driver for them. Also, always wear a seat belt. This simple, effective safety measure can save your life, or save you from serious injury, in the event of a crash.

New York Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a drug-impaired driver, time is of the essence. Reach out to trusted personal injury attorney Michael LoGiudice right away. He will begin immediately protecting your legal rights and fighting for your right to be fully compensated for the harm you have suffered. Contact us today.

About the Author
Michael LoGiudice handles all personal injury and medical malpractice claims. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School (1997) and has many verdicts and settlements totaling in the tens of millions of dollars.
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