TLSAE Drug Impairment and Effects 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which drug is most commonly found in the systems of fatally injured drivers after alcohol?
- Cocaine
- Marijuana (Correct answer)
- Heroin
- LSD
Correct answer: Marijuana
Studies consistently show marijuana is the most commonly detected drug (after alcohol) in fatally injured drivers.
Question 2: Benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Xanax) impair driving by causing:
- Increased aggression and speeding
- Sedation, slowed reflexes, and reduced alertness (Correct answer)
- Tunnel vision and color blindness
- Euphoria with no physical impairment
Correct answer: Sedation, slowed reflexes, and reduced alertness
Benzodiazepines are sedative drugs that slow reflexes and reduce alertness, making driving dangerous.
Question 3: Which of the following is TRUE about combining alcohol with other depressant drugs?
- The effects cancel each other out
- The combined impairment is additive or greater, multiplying danger (Correct answer)
- Only the stronger drug's effects are felt
- The combination is only dangerous for teens
Correct answer: The combined impairment is additive or greater, multiplying danger
Combining alcohol with other depressants creates an additive or synergistic effect, dramatically increasing impairment and crash risk.
Question 4: Inhalants affect driving by:
- Sharply improving focus for short periods
- Causing dizziness, disorientation, and loss of coordination (Correct answer)
- Slowing the metabolism of alcohol
- Reducing the sensitivity to pain only
Correct answer: Causing dizziness, disorientation, and loss of coordination
Inhalants cause dizziness, disorientation, and loss of motor coordination, making it impossible to drive safely.
Question 5: A driver who uses cocaine is at increased crash risk because cocaine can cause:
- Excessive sleepiness
- Overconfidence, erratic behavior, and aggressive driving (Correct answer)
- Improved depth perception
- Slower heart rate and calm reflexes
Correct answer: Overconfidence, erratic behavior, and aggressive driving
Cocaine is a stimulant that can produce overconfidence, aggressive behavior, and erratic decision-making — all dangerous behind the wheel.
Question 6: How long can THC (the active compound in marijuana) impair driving after use?
- Only during the immediate 'high' (30 minutes)
- Up to 24 hours or longer, even after the high has subsided (Correct answer)
- Exactly 3 hours, regardless of amount used
- THC impairment is too brief to affect driving
Correct answer: Up to 24 hours or longer, even after the high has subsided
THC can impair driving-related skills for up to 24 hours or more after use, even after the subjective high has worn off.
TLSAE Drug Impairment and Effects 2
Which drug is most commonly found in the systems of fatally injured drivers after alcohol?