Sleep-Driving Scare
By: Import User
Updated: March 4, 2009
There's speculation that a reckless driving accident on Tuesday may have involved sleeping medication, leading to a condition called "sleep-driving." United pharmacist Ted Murphy says many sleeping medications can have harmful side- effects if used improperly. There are reports of patients talking on the phone, and even driving, with no recollection of the incident. Corporal John Gonzalez of Texas DPS says he's run across many cases, where people are behind the wheel while on medication and unaware of what they're doing.
Says Cpl. Gonzalez, "I've seen cases where we've arrested for driving under the influence of narcotics, or drugs, prescription drugs, because of the fact that they drive just like a drunk driver." Murphy explains, "There are a lot of potential side effects with the sleeping medications, so they need to strictly go with what their doctor has told them to do."
