Safe driving requires precise skills, clear judgement, concentration and the ability to react if anything were to happen. Drugs affect all of these skills, and not just illegal drugs.
Prescription drugs and even over the counter medications can impair your driving skills if you don’t follow instructions or your doctor’s advice.
Taking more than one drug or mixing drugs and alcohol before driving is even more dangerous. In fact, taking drugs or any kinds and then driving puts you, your passengers and other innocent lives at risk of injury or even fatality.
Millions of Americans are taking prescription drugs for diabetes, heart disease and a wide range of other conditions. These medications can have side effects that impair one’s ability to drive, especially if they are being taken in certain combinations.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has reported that 78 percent of drivers over the age of 55 take at least one medication, but only 28 percent of them were aware of the effect those medications could have on their driving abilities.
Less than 20 percent of those surveyed reported that they had received warnings from a healthcare professional about the impairing effects that their medications could have. The report also found that awareness of the effects of one’s medication tended to decrease with age.
When you drive, your hands, eyes and feet control the vehicle, and your brain controls your hands, eyes and feet. To drive safety, you need to be alert, aware and able to make quick decisions in response to rapidly changing environment.
With thousands of people dying in auto accidents each year, it makes sense to provide the family with long-term financial security by investing in a life insurance policy.