Driving While Medicated: A Dangerous Combination

Joanne has horrible allergies. On the way to her sister's house for dinner she stops and picks up a bottle of over-the-counter allergy medicine at the drug store. Wanting to get a jump on her symptoms, Joanne takes the allergy medicine with her meal, and without thinking, has two glasses of wine. While driving home she falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into a parked car.

Although this scenario is fictitious, it is representative of what can happen when you take medication either alone or with another drug like alcohol, then drive. Medicines can treat and cure many health problems. However, they must be taken properly to ensure they are safe and effective. Many medicines have powerful ingredients that interact with the human body in different ways, and diet and lifestyle can sometimes have a significant impact on a drug's ability to work in the body.

Even though many believe that only prescription drugs have the power to cause extreme drowsiness, it's important to know many common, over-the-counter medications have the greatest potential to negatively affect your driving ability. These medications include antihistamines and cold remedies. Prescription drugs for anxiety, Valium, some antidepressants, and products containing codeine are also considered to be dangerous medications to use while driving. Certain foods, beverages, alcohol, caffeine, and even cigarettes can interact with medicines. This may make them less effective or may cause dangerous side effects or other problems.

Not only can drugs interact with food and alcohol, they can also interact with each other. Some drugs are given together on purpose for an added effect, like codeine and acetaminophen for pain relief. But other drug-to-drug interactions may be unintended and harmful. Even if individually medications are not deemed to cause drowsiness, combinations of drugs often cause unforeseen side effects. Additionally, alcohol is considered a drug and should not be drunk while taking medication. As the body ages, its ability to rid itself of alcohol decreases making it the single most important human factor in fatal collisions for drivers over 65, according to AAA Foundation.

Even if a medication seems mild, it's smart to read the label of anything you take. If a label contains the phrase, "Do not use while operating heavy machinery," don't drive your vehicle. It means the drug you've taken may impair your ability to effectively operate your RV thus putting you, your passengers, and other driver's on the road at an increased risk. Because drug reactions vary from person to person, it's prudent to take a new medication in a safe environment to determine if the drug causes you to feel dizzy or drowsy. It's also a good idea to give your body a few days to adjust to a new drug before operating your RV.

Taking a cautious approach may seem inconvenient, but it's better than an alternative-becoming a crash statistic. Federal authorities estimate there are 100,000 crashes each year caused by drivers who nod off behind the wheel. The statistics also attest a driver is much more likely to be involved in a crash when he or she is under the influence of a medication known to cause drowsiness. According to the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, of those individuals involved in a sleep or fatigue crash, it was five times more likely the driver was under the influence of a medication at the time the crash occurred, than not.

Since safety is a high priority for most people, the AAA Foundation has published the following safety tips for drivers who take medication:

When you take medicine, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions carefully to obtain the maximum benefit with the least risk. Changes in a medicine's effect due to an interaction with food, alcohol or caffeine can be significant; however, there are individual factors that influence the potential for such variations, like dose, age, weight, sex and overall health.

Taking medication while operating your RV can clearly affect your alertness and ability to concentrate. Prescription and over-the-counter medications both have the capability to cause impairment. If you are taking any medication and plan to drive your RV, it's important to read the drug label before getting behind the wheel to confirm drowsiness is not a side effect. If it is, it's vital to your safety, and the safety of those around you, to stop driving until you can determine your body's reaction to the medication.

Drug manufacturers continue to research ways to reduce drowsiness as a side effect in many common medications. Until this is accomplished, it's important to be cautious when combining driving and medication. For a brochure entitled "Food & Drug Interactions," from the National Consumers League, you may send your request to 1701 K Street NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006, or contact them by phone at 202-835-3323. If you prefer, you may access a printable version of the brochure at their web site www.nclnet.org/fooddruord.html.