Myth 4: As long as the drug is one that’s been prescribed, it’s legal to drive while taking it. Fact: Some drugs, whether prescribed or il- licit, aren’t safe to take while operating a motor vehicle. It’s important that people who are prescribed drugs find out from their doctor whether or not it’s safe to drive after taking their prescription, often this information is written on the prescription bottle. It’s also important to note that if you take a prescribed drug in a larger dose than prescribed or with alcohol, it may cause serious impairment. The Difference Between Impairment and Intoxication At what point does a person become impaired? Impairment is the point where one’s intake of alcohol or drugs affects their ability to perform appropriately. Alcohol With alcohol, the impairment process begins with the very first drink. At low BAC levels, some people may not appear to be impaired, but their judgment, coordination, and reaction time have been affected. Since it takes time for alcohol
to leave the stomach and enter the blood stream, a person may continue to become more impaired for a period of time follow- ing their last drink. At what point is someone considered legally intoxicated?
The safest rule is to never drive after drinking or taking drugs.
Intoxication is a legal term that establishes a certain level of alcohol in the blood as the point
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