Highways and Public Works
Department Overview
Impaired Driving
The effects of impairment vary from person to person. In general, impairment can be defined as changes in a person's ability to perform routine daily tasks at the normal level of functioning. Symptoms may include drowsiness or excitability, altered depth perception, or slowed or increased reaction time. Impairment affects your ability to drive, among other things, but these changes can often be difficult to identify. In fact, you could be drug impaired and not even know it.
What causes impairment?
You probably know that driving while impaired is a leading cause of car accidents, but what you may not know is that alcohol and illegal drugs are not the only culprits. Impairment can also be caused by many common prescription and over-the-counter medications. These medications, like some antihistamines, used to treat allergies, and anti-anxiety medications for example, may affect driving skills by inducing drowsiness or excitability or by altering reaction times. Other impairing medications include some cold and cough medications, sleeping pills and painkillers.
Remember that driving is a privilege not a right