What Substances Are Illegal To Consume Before Driving?

When it comes to shopping for car insurance, the best chance you have for finding the type and amount of coverage which is best suited for your needs is to use online auto insurance quotes. Auto insurance is meant to cover any unexpected expenses which might arise because of a traffic accident involving your vehicle, or other hazards which might cause damage to your vehicle and possible injuries to its occupants or other people. Driving is a serious responsibility, and not everybody seems to think about that. This is why it is important to know which substances are illegal to consume before driving.

Traffic-police-Alamy-xlargeThe most well known substance which is guaranteed to result in a DUI (Driving Under the Influence traffic violation) is alcohol. And it has gained notoriety due to the fact that the vast majority of DUI traffic violations are alcohol-related. Driving with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) above a certain level (0.08 percent or higher) is illegal in all 50 states.  And while it is obvious that driving drunk is very dangerous and irresponsible, there are plenty of other substances that are also listed as being illegal to consume before or during driving.

The substances other than alcohol which are considered as impairing people’s ability to drive are cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, morphine, heroin and LSD. Besides these obvious illegal drugs, there are also over-the counter legally prescribed drugs which are forbidden by law to be consumed before or during driving. These include antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants, hydrocodone, sleeping pills and valium. A survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that in the year 2009 about 10 million people in the United States were driving under the influence of illegal substances.

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