Many parts of the country have experienced the opioid epidemic. It largely stems from the use of prescription painkillers and similar drugs, which are legal — but which are also addictive. People then get addicted to these drugs and use them incorrectly, or they move on to harder drugs.
In fact, this has become so bad that you’re statistically more likely to pass away due to an overdose than in a car accident. Statistics are a bit deceptive — if you don’t use opioids at all, you’re still more likely to die in a car accident — but they do show how widespread the issue has become.
Now, you may feel that people should use substances in any way that they want, and that it doesn’t affect you. That may be true in some cases, but what about when you’re on the road? Are you sharing that road with addicted drivers who may be under the influence? Could they cause accidents that harm you and your loved ones?
Doubling your crash odds
It is clear that opioids can cause car accidents. In fact, one study claimed a person who used them was twice as likely to crash as someone who did not. That makes it very clear that the epidemic had led to some accidents, especially when you consider that many people mix opioids with alcohol and other drugs.
The problem is that, like alcohol, opioids can make people feel tired. They can impair a driver’s judgment. They can make it harder for that person to focus on the road. When someone isn’t thinking clearly, they make more mistakes than they would otherwise. Eventually, one of those mistakes is probably going to lead to a crash.
Have you been injured?
You don’t always know who is on the road around you. What you do know is that opioid abuse has reached massive levels, so it’s possible that some of those drivers are impaired. If one of them causes an accident and you or a loved one are seriously injured, be sure you know exactly how to seek the compensation that you deserve.