Sickness and medications can affect your driving
- Your focus on the road can be severely reduced by pain or strong emotional situations.
- If you are taking medication and are unsure about its effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist before driving.
Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol
- Do not consume any alcohol before you drive and be aware of the legal limits.
- Designate a driver or hire a taxi if you have consumed alcohol.
General advice in emergency situations
- Remain calm and do not panic; it will help you make rational, calm decisions.
- Try to brake in a straight line if possible.
- If you are driving at a high speed when the emergency occurs, try to avoid sudden steering since it may result in accidents that can otherwise be avoided.
- You can steer far more effectively at slower speeds. Slow down as much as possible to reduce the impact of a potential collision.
- Your main priority is to save lives. If an accident is unavoidable, take priority actions that ensure the safety of human life first.
- Turn on your hazard lights as soon as possible.
- Make sure you have emergency numbers and insurance numbers on hand at all times.
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The legal blood alcohol limit in Canada is 0.08% BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) for a Criminal Code charge, though provincial "warn range" (0.05–0.079%) can trigger roadside suspensions and fines in most provinces. For cannabis, the federal limit is 2 nanograms of THC per millilitre of blood for a lesser offence, and 5 ng/mL for the criminal impairment charge. Critically, legal limits don't define safe driving—impairment begins before legal thresholds, and both alcohol and cannabis significantly affect reaction time, judgment, and coordination. The only safe choice is zero alcohol or cannabis before driving.
Yes. Many common prescription and over-the-counter medications cause drowsiness, reduced reaction time, blurred vision, or impaired coordination. Examples include antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, opioid pain medications, muscle relaxants, and some blood pressure medications. Canadian law prohibits driving while impaired by any drug—prescription or otherwise. Before taking a new medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist explicitly whether it affects driving ability, and follow their guidance carefully. If in doubt, don't drive.
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