Don't Drink (Sedating Antihistamines) and Drive

Filed in archive Allergy Medications , Living with Allergies on May 26, 2006

The problem with some anithistamines is that they can make you drowsy. Drowsy = unfit for driving. Not convinced? Click the photo to watch a news report from NBC4, showing just how unfit for driving a woman turned out to be, after taking her allergy meds. Here's the result of her simulated driving tests:

She hit 2 pedestrians and a dog. Ran off the road 4 times. Got a speeding ticket. And was slower by a tenth of a second in reaction time... that's a full car length of stopping distance at beltway speeds.

Please, if you take antihistamines or medications that says "May cause drowsiness" or something similar, do NOT drive (an example is Benadryl). IF you insist on driving, then check with your allergist and get a prescription for something that doesn't have any sedating effects.

For your sake and others', don't take the risk.