What Drugs Impair Your Ability to Drive Safely?

Key takeaways:

Many OTC and prescription drugs can impair driving. Antihistamines, sleep aids, and stimulants are a few examples.
After you take a new medication, it’s a good idea to use caution when driving for the first time. Being aware of a medication’s possible side effects can also help you decide if it’s safe to drive after you take it.
Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can help if your medication is affecting your driving. Let them know if you’re having this side effect.

In 2021, the Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a study on prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can impair your ability to drive safely. It found that about half of licensed drivers take medications that may affect their driving. What’s more, about half of those people took the medication within 2 hours of driving.

Even if you’re taking these medications as directed by your healthcare provider, they may still affect your driving. That’s because some medications make you drowsy. And others can make it hard to think straight.

So what are the top prescription and OTC medications that can impair your driving? We’ll detail 10 that you should know.

1. Opioid medications

Opioids work in the brain to block pain signals. They can cause side effects like sleepiness and lightheadedness. This can impair your driving. Examples of opioids include oxycodone (Roxicodone, Oxycontin) and hydrocodone/acetaminophen.

Although it’s no longer considered an opioid, dextromethorphan (Delsym), an OTC cough medication, can have similar effects on the brain. After taking it, you may feel dizzy or drowsy. And at high doses, it may make you feel intoxicated or cause you to see things that aren’t there.

Some combination OTC cold and flu products also contain dextromethorphan, so it’s important to check product labels. A few examples of these products include Deconex DXM and Mucinex DM.

2. Anxiety medications like alprazolam (Xanax)

Alprazolam (Xanax) is a benzodiazepine (BZD). BZDs work to slow down the central nervous system and relax your muscles. By doing so, they can help treat anxiety, panic disorders, and seizures. Some are also used for insomnia. But they can cause side effects like sleepiness, dizziness, and distorted vision that may impair your driving.

Other examples of BZDs include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium). If you’re unsure if your medication is a BZD, reach out to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

3. Seizure medications like valproic acid

Antiepileptics are medications that can help prevent seizures. Valproic acid and carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol) are some common examples. These medications can impair driving due to side effects like trouble with normal body movements and sleepiness.

4. Depression medications like fluoxetine (Prozac)

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This medication class can impair driving. So can other types of antidepressants, like serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).

Antidepressants can cause side effects like dizziness and drowsiness. This is more common in the first few weeks after starting them, and should improve with time. If your antidepressant is making you drowsy during the day, you may be instructed to take it at night instead.

5. Allergy and nausea medications like diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

Antihistamines are commonly used for allergies and nausea. They can be found as both prescription and OTC medications. Some common examples are diphenhydramine (Benadryl), hydroxyzine (Vistaril), and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine).

Antihistamines can cause you to feel drowsy and have slower brake reaction time. This is more common with first-generation antihistamines, like diphenhydramine. But cetirizine (Zyrtec) is a second-generation antihistamine that also causes drowsiness.

Antihistamines are also found in some OTC cold, flu, and sleep medications. Be sure to read product labels and use caution when taking them before driving.

6. Sleeping medications like zolpidem (Ambien)

Prescription sleep medications are usually taken before bed. Since these medications are supposed to make you sleepy, it’s best to avoid driving after taking them. Common examples include Lunesta (eszopiclone), Sonata (zaleplon), and Ambien (zolpidem).

But sometimes these medications can stay in your body for a long time. For example, zolpidem may impair your driving the next day, even if you took it the previous night.

7. Antipsychotic medications like olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Antipsychotic medications are used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. They can also cause impaired driving. This is due to side effects like uncontrolled body movements, drowsiness, and problems seeing clearly. Examples include:

Clozapine (Clozaril)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Risperidone (Risperdal)

8. Stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin)

Any substance that speeds up the body’s function can be called a stimulant. While you might think that stimulants would help you drive better, they have been involved in dangerous driving. For example, a study showed that truck drivers taking a stimulant had a 5-times higher risk of a fatal crash.

Stimulants may worsen movement perception and working memory, which can contribute to driving issues. Stimulants include prescription medications like methylphenidate (Ritalin). They also include OTC medications like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and caffeine.

9. Muscle Relaxants like cyclobenzaprine

Muscle relaxants are a group of medications that can help with muscle spasms and pain. They include medications like cyclobenzaprine (Fexmid, Amrix) and methocarbamol. Possible side effects include trouble moving, sleepiness, and blurry vision. These effects can cause impaired driving when taking these medications.

10. Loperamide (Imodium AD)

Loperamide is an OTC medication that can be used to treat diarrhea. It can cause dizziness or drowsiness, which might impair driving. Make sure you know how loperamide affects you before driving after taking it.

How long after taking these drugs can I drive?

It depends. Each medication stays in the body for a different amount of time. For example, zolpidem may have effects the next morning, even though you took it the night before. But stimulants, like caffeine, tend to wear off after about 3 to 5 hours.

Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can help give you an idea whether it’s safe to drive after taking certain medications. They can also recommend how long to wait before getting behind the wheel.

What are the risks of driving impaired?

Traffic officers are trained to identify impaired driving — whether from medication or alcohol. They may stop you and conduct behavioral tests if you’re driving dangerously.

If you’re driving while impaired, potential consequences can include misdemeanors, fines, and jail time. A worst-case scenario would be an accident that harms you or others. Remember that these consequences can happen even if you’re impaired from a medication that was prescribed for you.

How can I tell if it’s safe for me to drive?

There’s not one way that works for everyone to be sure that it’s safe for you to drive. Generally, you’ll be able to recognize if a medication makes you drowsy or causes trouble with concentration.

If you feel altered in any way, it’s probably not a good idea to get behind the wheel. If you’re already driving and start feeling impaired, pull over as soon as you can and call 911 for help.

You should work with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to identify any medications you should be cautious with. Be sure to read the side effects and precautions of your medications to be aware of them. And don’t drive right after taking a new medication for the first time.

What should I do if a medication I’m taking is preventing me from driving safely?

If a medication you’re taking is preventing you from driving safely, talk to your healthcare provider. Sometimes changing the dose or stopping the medication may be the right answer. But you shouldn’t change or stop your medication on your own. Always check with your healthcare provider first.

If you’re selecting an OTC medication to use, you can always check with your pharmacist. They can help explain whether the medication can cause side effects that may affect driving. They can also recommend other options that won’t.

The bottom line

Some medications may affect your ability to drive safely. Medications that cause you to be sleepy, have trouble thinking, or cause slower reaction times are common culprits.

You shouldn’t drive after taking a new medication for the first time. Read about possible side effects first. Or check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting a medication. They can help you understand any risks or side effects to be aware of.

Depending on how a medication affects you, you may need a lower dose or a different medication to ensure your safety.

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Written by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. Ulrich’s experience includes direct patient care in hospital and community pharmacies.

Edited by:

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.

Reviewed by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

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