Your mother’s’ advice to take your meds should be followed by the warning signs of impaired driving. Recent studies in Canada and the United States show that medications may not be as safe as we expect them to be. After analysing thousands of records of people involved in fatal crashes, researchers concluded that people taking benzos are 50% more likely to get injured in a fatal collision. Many of these meds are prescribed to treat sleeping disorders and anxiety. Contact a Los Angeles fatal car accident attorney to investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident. An attorney can protect your rights and ensure you receive fair compensation.
Many prescription medications can result in impaired driving. With the amount of drivers taking meds increasing each year, the driver’s health and medications have also become an important element when determining liability in an accident. Drug impaired driving is when the driver is driving under the influence of meds or recreational drugs. This is a big problem we are facing in the United States as the amount of accidents caused by people driving under the influence of meds has surpassed the amount of accidents linked to alcohol abuse.
Some popular medications that may impair your driving
Fatal accidents that required a drug test are linked to popular medications. Some drugs linked to these collisions include:
- Xanax
- Valium
- Ativan
- Tranxene
- Klonopin
- Libratabs
These drugs can impair driving and have short-term effects, particularly during the first hours after taking them. There are also long-lasting benzos that pose a higher risk for fatal vehicle collisions. You can always talk to your healthcare provider and find the medication that’s right for you. It’s important patients never stop taking their meds without a doctor’s authorization. Some patients may experience a variety of symptoms such as anxiety and seizures when they stop taking these medications, which can also be dangerous when operating a vehicle.
Conditions you may suffer
Some of the most common conditions drivers taking these meds suffer from, which could put their lives and the lives of other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians at risk include:
- Respiratory problems
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s disease
- Mental illness
- Heart problems
- Anxiety and depression
- Asthma and allergies
First meet with your attorney
If you have been involved in a car accident associated with a drugged driver in Los Angeles, it’s important you contact an experienced Los Angeles fatal car accident attorney to help you obtain compensation for all your loses and injuries sustained in the accident. Some injuries in fatal accidents may require costly long-term treatment.
Also, it’s very challenging to deal with insurance companies on your own. Your claim may be denied because you said the wrong things. Only your personal injury attorney understands what’s the best course of action in your particular situation. Whatever you do, don’t sign any documents or make any statements without first consulting your attorney. You can request a free initial case evaluation with one of our personal injury attorney today.
