Sharing the Road with Opiate Users

Did you know drug overdose is the leading cause of preventable death for adults in the U.S. age 25 to 64*? And according to recent statistics the number of people getting behind the wheel while under the influence of opiates has skyrocketed in recent years.

“‘The opiate epidemic is primarily defined by deaths from overdoses, but its health impact goes beyond those overdose fatalities,’ said Guohua Li, the study’s senior author and director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia University. Li said he expects the increased proportion of fatal crashes involving prescription opioids to apply to this year as well.

In a paper published last month in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers found that the prevalence of drivers with prescription opioids detected in their systems at the time of death surged from 1.0% in 1995 to 7.2% in 2015.” – USA Today

Experts agree opiate usage can compromise a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, yet with millions of Americans using it is an uphill struggle to find ways to prevent opioid related motor vehicle injuries and fatalities.

If you are on prescription opioids talk to your doctor about what precautions you should take, specifically in terms of operating a motor vehicle. Remember that other substances, like alcohol, can interfere with medications. If you or a loved one were hurt or killed by a driver under the influence of an opiate or other substance contact us today.

*Source: National Safety Council