Georgia Injury Law Blog
The medications that you are currently taking could increase your risks of being involved in an auto accident. Since car accidents are a major cause of severe personal injuries, it is important to evaluate the medications you are taking to determine if they increase your risk of an accident. If so, you may wish to adjust your driving habits to reduce the risk of being in an accident and suffering injuries.
Most medications come with little or no drowsy driving risks. Many of them, however, do include risks that can affect a persons’ driving abilities, and patients may remain unaware of the dangers of using these medications, especially when they operate a motor vehicle. Some medications are widely known to have drowsiness- inducing properties. For instance, anti-allergy medications or those that are used to treat common colds and coughs may come with ingredients that increase a person’s sleepiness and make him feel lethargic. A person using these drugs is much more likely to cause an accident if he is driving a vehicle while under the influence of the drug. Medications that include codeine and hydrocodone, for example, are strongly linked with drowsiness and fatigue.
Apart from cold medications and antihistamines, many Americans now take a wide range of medications to treat a variety of conditions. There has been an explosion in lifestyle conditions, and millions of Americans now take beta blockers to treat heart disease and cardiovascular conditions. Beta blockers can cause symptoms like giddiness, dizziness and extreme tiredness that could prove dangerous when the person is behind the wheel. Anti-anxiety medications, antipsychotic drugs as well as anti-depressants are also strongly linked to drowsiness.
There are other drugs that also have the same effect. Did you know that the medications that you use to control your motion sickness on a road trip can increase sleepiness? Certain types of diet pills also can also increase fatigue. Moreover, stimulants that are formulated to help a person stay awake for long periods of time could also cause extreme fatigue and sleepiness when the effects of the medication begin to fade.
What can make the problem even more complicated is that many times people are on more than one medication, and these medications interact with others causing confusion, disorientation, extreme sleepiness and other types of symptoms that increase auto accident risks.
Ideally, your doctor should inform you about the side effects of the medication he is prescribing. if he does not, inquire about any possible side effects and determine whether these side effects increase your risks of being involved in an accident. Adjust your driving schedule accordingly, or adjust the dosage of the medication after consulting with your doctor. Check with the doctor if any other kind of medication that does not increase your risk of a car accident is suitable for your condition.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in auto accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine your legal options for a claim for compensation. You may qualify for a claim that helps you recover damages for medical costs, lost wages and other types of compensation. Talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your case. Initial consultations are free.