Citizens Group Cautions Against Dangers of Drug Impaired Driving During Summer Travel Season

Many Common Medications May be a Threat Behind the Wheel

MILWAUKEE, May 24 -- Leading consumer advocacy group Citizens AgaiNst Drug Impaired Drivers (CANDID) today alerted Americans about the dangers of drug impaired driving as the summer road travel season begins this Memorial Day weekend. CANDID is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the number of injuries and fatalities caused by drug impaired drivers by increasing awareness about the risks involved in driving under the influence of illicit, prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

"While it is common knowledge that it is dangerous to mix alcohol with driving, many people don't realize that drugs, including commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medications, can also impair us in a variety of ways," said Karen Tarney, founder of CANDID. "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes annually and as many as 50 million are injured worldwide. Projections indicate that these figures will increase by about 65% over the next 20 years."

This is of particular importance this weekend because according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 13,000 people in the U.S. are killed in car accidents each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day. CANDID believes that the lack of awareness about drug impaired driving is contributing to this serious problem and that it is important for everyone to commit to prevention.

The effects of impairment can vary from person to person. In general, however, impairment can be described as changes in the ability to perform routine daily tasks at the normal level of functioning. Symptoms may include drowsiness or excitability, altered depth perception, or slowed or increased reaction time. These changes can often be difficult to identify, causing impairment to go unrecognized.

In addition to illegal drugs, it is not widely known that many types of prescription and OTC medications may affect a person's ability to drive. Common offenders include antihistamines, codeine, barbiturates, sedatives, tranquilizers, opiates and stimulants. Even such seemingly harmless drugs as cough syrups, sleeping pills, mood elevators and pain relievers can impair driving.

"At this time of year, prescription and OTC antihistamines are some of the most commonly used medications that may cause significant impairment when driving," said Dr. Chandler May, physician in private practice and clinical researcher. "For example, it might surprise people to hear that a recent study found that taking 50 mg of Benadryl is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of approximately .09%, or about 3-4 drinks in one hour. People are advised not to mix driving and alcohol, but we also need to make sure people understand the dangers of combining driving with impairing medications."

   Tips to Avoid Drug Impaired Driving
   Following are some easy tips for people to remember to help avoid drug
   impaired driving this holiday weekend:
   *  Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to find out if the
      medication you're taking has this side effect
   *  Never take more than the prescribed dose; taking more than is
      recommended can increase your level of impairment
   *  Read your medication labels carefully to make sure there are no
      warnings about driving
   *  Ask for non-sedating and non-impairing forms of your prescriptions
   *  Don't mix medications without first checking with your healthcare
      provider or pharmacist and make sure they know everything you are
      taking
   *  Don't mix alcohol with your medication
   *  Make sure you know the signs and symptoms of being drug impaired
      before getting behind the wheel

"Each of us has a personal responsibility to keep ourselves and others safe when we drive," added Karen Tarney. "Therefore, it is critical to make sure that you and those you love are not drug impaired when hitting the road. Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer, which should be a special time to spend with friends and family. Don't risk ruining that special time by driving while impaired by drugs."

About CANDID

CANDID is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the under- recognized problem of driving under the influence of illicit drugs, prescription and OTC medications. In 1990, Karen Tarney was involved in a devastating car accident caused by a drug impaired driver. Feeling the accident could have been avoided, Karen felt compelled to start this organization. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, CANDID provides an organized approach to the identification of drug impaired drivers through awareness, education, and research. CANDID involves citizens, business, industry and professional groups in promoting public awareness of the issues related to drug impaired driving. To learn more about drug impaired driving and the medications that can cause impairment, log onto www.candid.org.