What comes to your mind when you hear the words DUI (driving under the influence) and DWI (driving while intoxicated)? If you are like most people, you probably think about a person who drives a motor vehicle after drinking alcohol. You are probably thinking about someone who is drunk driving.

Have you ever considered or realized that these terms DUI, DWI can also refer to driving under the influence of either illegal or prescription or drugs. The fact is, they can and do refer to anyone who is driving under the influence (driving impaired) by prescription or illegal drugs, as well as alcohol.

The person who drives a motor vehicle after using psychoactive drugs is a matter of ongoing concern to authorities. Law enforcement officers, attorneys, forensic toxicologists, physicians and traffic safety professionals in every state in the United States have a continuing concern about this issue of drugs and driving. Ways to identify the drug impaired driver on the road, assessment and documentation of the impairment displayed by the driver, the availability of appropriate chemical tests and the interpretation of the subsequent results are some of the things these professionals are concerned about.

The question may be raised, “Do medications or drugs really impair a driver? Is operating a car while taking prescription medication as potentially dangerous as drunk driving?” Continue reading →