{"id":1976,"date":"2018-01-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/2018\/01\/17\/accidents-prescription-drugs\/"},"modified":"2024-10-24T08:48:42","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T08:48:42","slug":"accidents-prescription-drugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/blog\/accidents-prescription-drugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Accidents &amp; Prescription Drugs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Opioid prescriptions, such as morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone have quadrupled in the past 23 years, going from 76 million in 1991 to nearly 300 million in 2014. As prescription drug use becomes more and more ubiquitous, it\u2019s no surprise that it is now impacting our roadways. A 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) showed that 11.8 million people, aged 16 or older, drove under the influence of illicit drugs.<\/p>\n<h2>PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE &amp; AUTO ACCIDENTS<\/h2>\n<p>A 2010 study of deadly auto accidents showed that of those U.S. drivers who tested positive for drug use, 47% involved prescription drugs. That percentage is higher than the amount using marijuana or cocaine.<\/p>\n<h2>How Prescription Drugs Impact Driving<\/h2>\n<p>Regardless of whether a person has a legitimate prescription for drug use or obtained them illegally, operating a vehicle under the influence of many prescription medications is illegal in Georgia. This is because the drugs are intended to alter the body\u2019s chemical makeup to solve a medical issue \u2013 oftentimes leading to side effects that make operating a vehicle dangerous. Different drugs can impact driving in various ways:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Central Nervous System Depressants, such as opioids, can cause drowsiness, inability to concentrate, slower reaction time, distractibility, and mental clouding.<\/li>\n<li>Central Nervous System Stimulants, such as amphetamines, can cause poor impulse control, agitation, tunnel vision, irritability, and aggressiveness.<\/li>\n<li>Sedatives, such as benzodiazepines, can cause decreased alertness, dizziness, lack of coordination, and decreased concentration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Prescription Drugs And Trucking Accidents<\/h2>\n<p>In 2007, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reviewed the causes of crashes involving <a title=\"Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/marietta\/truck-accident-lawyer\/\">commercial motor vehicles<\/a>, like eighteen-wheelers. It was the first study of its kind to look at all pre-crash factors nation-wide.<\/p>\n<p>The top ten reasons for <a title=\"Atlanta Truck Crashes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/faqs\/truck-accident-injuries\/\">crashes<\/a> might not surprise you, but the order might. Many people assume that fatigue would be the number one reason for crashes, but the top reason for <a title=\"Trucking Accidents\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/marietta\/truck-accident-lawyer\/\">trucking accidents<\/a> is actually prescription drug use.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the breakdown:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Prescription drug use topped the list, causing 26% of big rig crashes.<br \/>\n\u2022 Traveling too fast for road conditions was the number two reason, causing 23% of crashes.<br \/>\n\u2022 Being unfamiliar with the roadway came in at number three, with 22%.<br \/>\n\u2022 Over-the-counter drug use was the fourth most common cause of trucking crashes with 18%.<br \/>\n\u2022 Surprisingly fatigue doesn\u2019t even make the top five, as inadequate surveillance takes the fifth spot with 14%.<br \/>\n\u2022 At number six, fatigue causes 14% of crashes involving commercial vehicles.<br \/>\n\u2022 Illegal maneuvers cause 9% of <a title=\"Commercial Vehicle Crashes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awjlaw.com\/marietta\/truck-accident-lawyer\/18-wheeler-accident\/\">commercial vehicle crashes<\/a>.<br \/>\n\u2022 Not paying attention caused 8% of crashes by trucks.<br \/>\n\u2022 Being distracted by something outside of the vehicle caused 8% of the crashes<br \/>\n\u2022 Trucks require a lot of maneuvering; underestimating the action needed to avoid a crash took the tenth spot, causing 7% of accidents.<\/p>\n<h2>Ask Your Doctor &amp; Check The Label<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been prescribed medication and were instructed, by the doctor or by the label on the bottle, not to operate a vehicle for any reason, it is important not to drive. Even over-the-counter drugs can cause side effects that make driving dangerous, so before consuming any type of medication make sure it doesn\u2019t come with a warning. And if it does, heed the warning \u2013 because you can be held liable for damages and injuries to those in an accident you caused. Even an honest mistake can ruin your life and the lives of others.<\/p>\n<h2>If You\u2019ve Been In An Accident Involving Prescription Drugs<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been in an accident that involved prescription drugs, contact the qualified Marietta personal injury attorneys at Jones &amp; Swanson today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about how prescription drug use is affecting Georgia roadways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1977,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34,49,64,65,68],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1976","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-drunk-driving","8":"category-personal-injury","9":"category-truck-accident","10":"category-trucking-accidents","11":"category-wrongful-death","12":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Accidents &amp; Prescription Drugs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Accidents &amp; Prescription Drugs: Jones &amp; Swanson, with 45+ years of experience and millions recovered. 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