Drugs and driving — Texas Permit Test

Any drug may affect a person's ability to drive, including over the counter and prescription medicines as well as illegal drugs.

People expect a warning label to say so. Plenty of ordinary medicines change reaction time without saying a word about driving.

Any drug may affect a person’s ability to drive. Millions of people take over the counter and prescription medications, illegal drugs

Taking more than one drug at the same time is more dangerous, because drugs may have a different overall cumulative effect, especially when alcohol is involved.

Two drugs are not twice one drug. Alcohol on top of anything is the combination that catches people out.

Taking more than one drug at the same time is even more dangerous since drugs may have a different overall cumulative effect, especially when alcohol is involved

Alcohol can mask the effects of other drugs, which increases the risk of poor decisions and slower reactions.

The driver feels better than they are. That is worse than feeling as bad as they are.

alcohol can also mask the effects of those drugs, increasing a person’s risk of poor decision making and/or slowing responsive reactions to situations

Even typical social doses of marijuana can affect concentration, judgment, and the sensory and perceptual skills needed for careful driving.

A small amount is still enough to change what a driver notices. The dose does not have to be large.

Research shows even typical social doses of marijuana can affect concentration, judgment, and sensory and perceptual skills needed for careful driving

Ordinary amounts of caffeine do not improve a drunk driver's ability to operate a vehicle, and caffeine cannot make a drunk driver sober.

Coffee wakes somebody up without making them sober. That gap is where the mistake lives.

can help drowsy drivers stay alert, it can’t make a drunk driver sober

Heavy amphetamine use may keep a driver awake and active for long periods but makes them less coordinated, edgy, and more likely to be in a crash.

Staying awake is not the same as being fit to drive. The coordination goes even while the eyes stay open.

Heavy amphetamine use may keep drivers awake and active for long periods of time. It also makes them less coordinated, edgy, and more likely to be involved in a car crash

Many over-the-counter drugs cause drowsiness in some people, so a driver should read the labels and be careful with antihistamines and cold preparations.

The label is the only warning there is. Nothing about buying it off a shelf makes it safe to drive on.

Many over-the-counter drugs cause drowsiness in some people, which can affect their driving. Read the labels and be careful with antihistamines, other cold preparations, or any medicine that relaxes or promotes sleep

Alcohol is a depressant drug that affects coordination, judgment, perception, and emotional state.

It is not a stimulant, whatever it feels like in the first half hour. Everything it touches gets slower.

Each year alcohol, a depressant drug affecting coordination, judgment, perception, and emotional state, is responsible for a significant number of highway deaths

Which drugs does Texas say may affect the ability to drive?

Any drug at all, prescribed or not. People expect a warning label to say so. Plenty of ordinary medicines change reaction time without saying a word about driving. Texas Driver Handbook, p.55: “Any drug may affect a person’s ability to drive. Millions of people take over the counter and prescription medications, illegal drugs”