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.
Read the label on a non-prescription drug before driving and check for warnings about its effects.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says drugs, including over-the-counter medications, can affect your ability to drive, sometimes as much as alcohol or worse. If you take a medication, even a cold or allergy remedy that is not prescribed, you should check the label for warnings about its effects. If you are unsure, the manual says to ask your doctor or pharmacist about driving while on the medication. That makes reading the label the first step before you decide whether it is safe to drive.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Drink alcohol instead. — Drinking alcohol instead is unsafe because the handbook says never to drink alcohol while taking other drugs, since the combination can be dangerous and can intensify the effects.
- C. Continue to drive regardless of any warning labels. — Driving regardless of warning labels ignores the handbook's instruction to check the label for warnings about the drug's effects.
- D. Drive only during daylight hours. — Driving only during daylight hours does not address the handbook's warning that drugs can affect reflexes, judgment, vision, and alertness at any time.
Remember it
Check the label before you check your mirrors.