How Drugs Can Lead to Auto Accidents
Some of the drugs commonly found in impaired drivers who have injured or killed others in auto accidents include:
- Marijuana and other hallucinogens
- Prescription drugs
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Opiates
- Benzodiazepines (depressants used to treat insomnia and anxiety)
Both legal and illegal drugs can profoundly affect your mental state. Many prescription medications warn against operating heavy machinery for a certain amount of time after taking the medication. Fatigue and dizziness caused by drugs can easily lead to a devastating accident and common car accident injuries. The use of certain drugs affects:
- Judgment
- Reaction time
- Perception of time, speed and distance
- Vision
- Coordination
- Balance
- Memory
These physical, mental and cognitive faculties are critical to your ability to drive.
Holding Irresponsible Drivers Accountable
Impaired drivers not only compromise their own safety, they are risking the safety of their passengers and other motorists with whom they share the road.
In Florida, if a driver is involved in an accident that causes serious bodily injury, a chemical test to detect the presence of drugs and alcohol is required. Responding police officers are empowered to gather a blood sample from the driver, if necessary.
Drivers convicted of DUI that led to serious injury or wrongful death can face a number of criminal consequences. If you were injured in the auto accident, a criminal conviction cannot provide financial compensation for your injuries.
Attorney Michael Barszcz will strive to recover fair compensation for the harm associated with your physical injury, including:
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Physical rehabilitation expenses
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
All motorists assume certain responsibilities when they get behind the wheel. One of those responsibilities is to drive free from the mind-altering effects of drugs and alcohol. Drivers who neglect their responsibilities should be held accountable for the injuries they cause to other drivers.
If you have been injured in a drug-related auto accident in Orlando or elsewhere in Florida, please contact experienced accident attorney Michael V. Barszcz, M.D., J.D., for a free a consultation.
