Driving on Drugs

• A depressant that affects the body’s central nervous system by slowing down the activity in the brain. This slows down the whole body, including breathing and heart rate; and
• Sold in a wide variety of beverages.

The effects on the driver:

• Slows the driver’s reaction time
• Distorts driver’s perceptions
• Greatly reduces ability to concentrate
• Decreases ability to coordinate appropriate reaction when driving
• Greatly increases the risk of having a crash.

Benzodiazepines and Tranquillisers are:

• Depressants sometimes referred to as minor tranquillisers, sleepers, benzo’s or sleeping tablets; and
• Sold as tablets and capsules.

The effects on the driver:

• Slows the driver’s reaction time
• Distorts driver’s perceptions
• Decreases ability to coordinate appropriate reaction when driving
• Always read instructions on medication packaging or consult your doctor to find out how long medication is likely to be active in the body and therefore likely to impact on driving ability.

Cannabis (Grass, mull, pot, dope, weed, gunga, leaf, smoke, green) is:

• A depressant that can also have hallucinogenic properties
• Marijuana is a dried greenish-brown leaf or flower from the cannabis plant
• Hashish is a brown to black resin
• Hashish oil is a reddish brown oil.

The effects on the driver:

• Hesitancy over reactions
• Slower reaction time
• Distorts driver’s perceptions of distance and speed
• Greatly reduces ability to concentrate
• Decreases ability to coordinate appropriate reaction when driving.

Heroin (Hammer, Smack) is:

• A depressant
• Affects the body’s central nervous system by slowing down the activity in the brain. This slows down the whole body, including breathing and heart rate, and can result in death from overdose; and
• Usually sold as a white to brownish crystalline powder.

The effects on the driver:

• Slows the driver’s reaction time
• Distorts driver’s perceptions of distance and speed
• Greatly reduces ability to concentrate
• Decreases ability to coordinate appropriate reaction when driving
• Greatly increases the risk of having a crash.

LSD and other Hallucinogens (Acid, Trips, Micro Dots, Tabs):

• Can alter perceptions and cause hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that is not there)
• Usually sold on small pieces of absorbent paper decorated with designs such as smiley faces and cartoons. It may also be sold on sugar cubes, small squares of gelatine or in capsule, tablet or liquid form.

Other Hallucinogens include:

• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
• Peyote Cactus (mescaline)
• scstasy (a stimulant) and
• Cannabis (a depressant).

The effects on the driver:

• Distort driver’s visual perceptions making it difficult to judge distances and speed
• Decreases ability to coordinate the appropriate reaction when driving
• Tiredness associated with an inability to sleep can greatly affect the driver’s reflexes and ability to concentrate on driving
• Can increase the risk of having a crash.

Amphetamines including Dexamphetamines (Speed, Goey, Whizz, Ice, Uppers, Go, Zip, Dexies) are:

• Stimulants that affect the activity of certain chemicalsin the brain; and
• Usually sold as white, beige or yellow powder but are also sold as tablets, liquid in capsules or in crystal like form (ice).

The effects on the driver:

• Gives the driver a false sense of confidence
• Rash decision making and exaggerated
• Confidence can lead to increased risk-taking behaviour
• Does not increase driving
• Ability or driver’s coordination
• Tiredness associated with an inability to sleep can greatly affect the driver’s reflexes and ability to concentrate on driving
• Can increase the risk of having a crash.

Cocaine (also know as Coke, Charlie, Snow, White Lady, Freebase, Crack, Rock, C) is:

• A stimulant that speeds up the activity of certain chemicals in the brain and also has some effects of an anaesthetic; and
• Is usually sold as a white powder.

The effects on the driver:

• Gives the driver a false sense of confidence
• Rash decision making and exaggerated
• Confidence can lead to increased risk-taking behaviour
• Does not increase driving
• Ability or driver’s coordination
• Tiredness associated with an inability to sleep can greatly affect the driver’s reflexes and ability to concentrate on driving
• Can increase the risk of having a crash.

Ecstasy, (also known as ‘E’, Bickies, Pills, Vitamins, XTC, Eccies, Love drug, Disco biscuits, MDMA) is:

• A stimulant with hallucinogenic properties; and
• Usually sold as small, coloured tablets or capsules with stamped shapes or ‘brands’. Common ‘brands’ include Mitsubishi, White Butterfly and Crown.

The effects on the driver:

• Gives the driver a false sense of confidence
• Increases risk-taking behaviour
• Distorts visual perceptions, which makes it difficult to judge distances
• Decreases ability to coordinate the appropriate reaction when driving
• Tiredness associated with an inability to sleep can greatly affect the driver’s reflexes and ability to concentrate on driving
• Can increase the risk of having a crash.

Polydrug use occurs when more then one drug is mixed at the same time so that both are active in the body. This can include alcohol, prescription and/or illicit drugs.

Polydrug use can occur in the following situations:

• When two or more psychoactive drugs are used at the same time or on the same occasion. This includes alcohol, prescription and/or illicit drugs
• Often illicit drugs contain more than one drug. Drug manufacturers will do this to save money by using different cheaper chemicals, or to achieve a different effect
• To avoid unintended polydrug use with medications always follow instructions from you doctor or the instructions on medication packaging.

Important facts on mixing alcohol, prescription and/or illicit drugs and driving:

• Remember that there is a greater chance of harm if more than one drug, including alcohol, is used at the same time. This is especially the case when drugs of unknown content and purity are combined
• Stimulants and depressants have a dangerous masking effect on each other. For example, if someone has taken a drug like speed and has also been drinking alcohol they may not feel intoxicated. If that person were to drive they could be way over the alcohol driving limit and their driving would be affected by the influence of alcohol as well as the other drug
• Stimulants when combined with other stimulants greatly increase the associated side effects causing a greater false sense of confidence and risk-taking behaviour
• A depressant combined with another depressant dangerously increases the associated side effects, drastically slowing reaction time and distorting the driver’s perception
• Hallucinogens when combined with any drug can be very unpredictable and dangerous. This is because they can cause visual distortion, including perceptions of speed and distance and greatly limit the accuracy of actions when driving
• Polydrug driving greatly increases your chances of having a crash!

Remember these tips to plan ahead and avoid the risk:

1. Think about your travel arrangements before you go out
2. If it is not safe to drive, stay the night
3. Before you go out, nominate someone in your group to take the responsibility to ensure everyone gets home safely
4. Make sure you always have money to catch a taxi/bus/train home
5. Keep a phone card on you at all times just in case you get stuck without any money and need to be picked up
6. Always look out for your mates, you don’t want anything to happen to them
7. Always make sure that a driver is safe to drive. If they are not safe to drive, catch a cab or get a lift with someone who’s straight
8. Have a personal rule that you don’t take drugs and drive, and that you don’t go in a car with a driver who is on drugs.

If you mix drugs and alcohol not only do your chances of having a crash increase, but with some drugs you are much more likely to underestimate your blood alcohol concentration and as a result get picked up for drink driving.