A driver who is taking a non-prescription drug should:
- Read the labels on the drug before driving. ✓
- Drink alcohol instead.
- Continue to drive regardless of any warning labels.
- Drive only during daylight hours.
Answer: A. Read the labels on the drug before driving.
A driver taking a non-prescription drug should read the label for warnings about the medication's effects before driving.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says many drugs affect a person's ability to drive safely, and that includes over-the-counter medications for allergies and colds. It tells anyone taking medication to check the label for warnings about the drug's effects before getting behind the wheel, and to ask a doctor or pharmacist if they are unsure it is safe. Since over-the-counter drugs can impair driving just like prescription ones, reading the label is the step that comes before any decision to drive.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Drink alcohol instead. — The handbook says alcohol and drugs should not be consumed at the same time, because mixing them multiplies their effects.
- C. Continue to drive regardless of any warning labels. — Ignoring warning labels goes against the handbook's advice to check the label and confirm the drug is safe before driving.
- D. Drive only during daylight hours. — Nothing in the passages says impairment from medication is limited to nighttime, so restricting driving to daylight hours does not address the warning.
Remember it
Read the label before you turn the key: over-the-counter does not mean driving-safe.