The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 2 million people sustain injuries and over 32,000 lives are lost in crashes each year. Many motor vehicle collisions are the result of drunk driving, but there are other dangers that lead to a crash as well, such as the use of prescription drugs. When a driver gets behind the wheel after consuming prescription drugs, the chances of an accident could increase, even if they are following their physician’s instructions. Moreover, some people abuse drugs, such as painkillers, significantly increasing the likelihood of a wreck.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drugs can lead to dangerous driving in the same way as the consumption of alcohol or illegal substances. Drugged driving remains a serious problem in the U.S. and those who fail to stay off the road when they are intoxicated, even if the intoxication is a result of drugs they need to take, put innocent lives at risk.
Sometimes, people may not realize that the medications they take lead to intoxication or interfere with their ability to operate a vehicle properly, while others know that they are intoxicated and drive anyway. When this behavior results in an accident, victims deserve justice and should look into any avenues that can help them move ahead. In recent years, an increasing number of people have become dependent on prescription drugs or have started to take medications that have an impact on their driving abilities and it is important to raise awareness about drugged driving.