Many People Prescribed Drugs That Could Impair Driving Aren't Warned About Risk

By Kelly Young

Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM

Many patients who are prescribed drugs that could impair driving say they don't recall being warned about this risk, according to a study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

During a roadside survey of 7400 drivers, nearly 1500 said they had used a potentially impairing drug in the past 2 days. Over three quarters of these said the drug had been prescribed to them. The percentages of drivers who said their healthcare provider had warned them about the drug's driving risk were the following:

• Sedatives: 79%

• Narcotics: 77%

• Antidepressants: 54%

• Stimulants: 48%

The authors conclude: "Our study provides evidence of missed opportunities for information provision on impaired driving."