{"id":575992,"date":"2026-04-01T21:47:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T21:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/575992\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T21:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T21:47:10","slug":"list-of-medications-that-could-disqualify-you-from-driving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/575992\/","title":{"rendered":"List of Medications That Could Disqualify You From Driving"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following news that Tiger Woods was carrying two hydrocodone pills<\/a>\u2014which are commonly prescribed for pain\u2014when he was interviewed at the scene of a car crash last week, below are the categories of medications, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/a>, that could lead to disqualification if taken while driving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The golfer was charged with driving under the influence following a crash\u00a0on Friday, according to Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Court records show that Woods entered a not guilty plea.<\/p>\n

Why Some Medications Affect Driving<\/p>\n

According to the FDA<\/a>, while most medications don\u2019t affect a person\u2019s ability to drive, a wide range of commonly used prescription and over\u2011the\u2011counter drugs can interfere with alertness, coordination, and reaction time\u2014increasing the risk of crashes and, in some cases, disqualification or arrest if taken before or during driving.<\/p>\n

The FDA warns that certain medications can cause side effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness, slowed or uncoordinated movement, fainting, nausea, excitability, or difficulty concentrating\u2014effects that can make it unsafe to drive. In some cases, these effects happen shortly after a dose; in others, impairment can last for several hours or even into the next day.<\/p>\n

Importantly, side effects aren\u2019t limited to prescription drugs alone. Many over\u2011the\u2011counter cold, allergy, and sleep remedies contain ingredients that can affect driving ability, particularly if they are combined with other medications or alcohol, the FDA warns.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Medications That May Lead to Dangerous Driving and Disqualification\u00a0<\/p>\n

The FDA identifies several categories of prescribed medications that may make driving dangerous. These include some:<\/p>\n

Opioid pain relievers\u2014such as those containing codeine or hydrocodone\u2014can cause drowsiness and slower reaction times.\u00a0Prescription medicines used to treat anxiety, including benzodiazepines, are also flagged due to their sedative effects.\u00a0Sleep medications; muscle relaxants; antipsychotic medicines, and antiseizure drugs, all of which may reduce alertness or coordination.Some antidepressants are also listed, particularly during the early stages of treatment or after dosage changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some over\u2011the\u2011counter products that can pose risks include certain antihistamines, commonly found in allergy and cold remedies, nighttime sleep aids, motion sickness medications, and cough syrups, which can induce sleepiness or slow down cognitive function.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The FDA also cautions that taking specific stimulants\u2014including diet pills, \u201cstay awake\u201d drugs, and medications containing caffeine, ephedrine, or pseudoephedrine\u2014can unpredictably affect focus and coordination.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cannabis-Derived Products and Next\u2011Day Effects<\/p>\n

The FDA further warns that products containing cannabis or cannabis\u2011derived compounds, including cannabidiol, may impair driving by causing sleepiness and altered alertness, even when users do not feel overtly intoxicated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sleep medications present an additional risk. Some drugs prescribed for insomnia can impair driving the following morning, particularly if higher doses are taken or when they are combined with other sedating substances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Legal Consequences and Safety Advice<\/p>\n

While driving laws vary by state, the FDA notes that operating a vehicle while impaired by medication\u2014prescription or over\u2011the\u2011counter\u2014can have similar legal consequences to driving under the influence of alcohol.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Drivers should read warning labels carefully, avoid mixing medications without medical advice, and speak with a doctor or pharmacist before driving.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing how your medicines\u2014or any combination of them\u2014affect your ability to drive is an important safety measure,\u201d the FDA says, advising patients to seek professional guidance if they are concerned that their medication might be affecting their ability to drive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Following news that Tiger Woods was carrying two hydrocodone pills\u2014which are commonly prescribed for pain\u2014when he was interviewed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":575993,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[49,48,18654,2971,2714,84,377,221085,35196],"class_list":{"0":"post-575992","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-driving","11":"tag-drugs","12":"tag-fda","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-medication","15":"tag-opiods","16":"tag-painkillers"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=575992"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575992\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/575993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=575992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=575992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=575992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}