AARP Hearing Center
![Taking Medicine and Driving taking a handful of pills behind the wheel](https://aarp.widen.net/content/gbb3kfk5h4/png/MedicationsAndDriving.png?crop=true&anchor=0,0&color=ffffffff&u=mh5igy&w=1140&h=655)
You may be driving under the influence and not even realize it. We aren’t talking about alcohol or illegal drugs; we’re talking about common medications taken for everything from the common cold and seasonal allergies to anxiety to temporary aches and chronic pain.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some over-the-counter and prescription meds carry side effects — drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and blurred vision among them — that can make it unsafe to drive.
![member card Image Alt Attribute](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/experience-fragments/uxdia-folder-structure/en/features/membership/inline-membership-promo/default/master5/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/container_copy/container/articleimage.coreimg.75.1140.png/content/dam/uxdia/membership-card-d-and-t.png)
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Labor Day Sale!
Join AARP for just $9 per year with a 5-year membership and get a FREE Gift!
That’s especially true for people over age 65, “due to changes in the body’s responsiveness to a medication, as well as a decline in the amount [of the drug] the body removes,” says Kimberly Zammit, executive director for Clinical Pharmacy Services at the Mount Sinai Health System. “Medications that produce an intended or unintended alteration in the brain’s process have complex actions, and the response is impacted by multiple factors: age, genetics, interactions with other medications and overall disease burden.”
Research suggests plenty of people of all ages drive after taking “potentially driver-impairing drugs.” A study published in 2022 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that around half of the more than 2,600 drivers who responded to a survey reported using one or more such medications in the past 30 days; around 70 percent reported driving within two hours of taking three or more of them.
“With a lot of these drugs, the body gets used to them if you take them for a long period of time — especially prescribed medicines,” says Mohammed Issa, M.D., assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and medical director of the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. “Usually within a month (of starting them), it’s fine to drive. But the problem is with the over-the-counter drugs you take as needed. The body doesn’t have time to get used to them, so they can affect your response to something happening right in front of you.”
Whatever the drug or combination of drugs, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the potential risk versus benefit of taking any medication, Zammit says, especially if you regularly get behind the wheel.
Here’s what you need to know about seven types of medicine that don’t mix with driving.
1. Certain antianxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium) all fall within a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which help treat anxiety by slowing down the central nervous system and relaxing your muscles. They can cause sleepiness and slow down reflexes you need while driving. Benzodiazepines should be avoided by older adults, Zammit says.
More From AARP
Protein Supplements: What You Need to Know
Adults need more protein as they get older, and many experts say whey powder is the way to go
Is It Risky to Take Heartburn Medication?
Experts say talk to your doctor before stopping or starting treatment
AARP Smart Guide to Seasonal Allergies
Achoo! How to understand and treat your symptoms
8 Common Medications That Can Cause Weight Gain
Your medicine cabinet may hold the answer to your rising weight
Recommended for You