What is impaired when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs?

When driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, numerous critical cognitive and physical abilities are impaired, which significantly heightens the risk of accidents on the road. Selecting the option that encompasses all these impairments is accurate because each element—vision, reaction time, and judgment—plays a crucial role in a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.

Vision can be affected, leading to difficulties in seeing clearly, interpreting distances, or recognizing important signals and surroundings. Reaction time becomes slower, which means a driver may take longer to respond to sudden changes in the driving environment, such as a pedestrian stepping into the road or other vehicles stopping abruptly. Furthermore, judgment is compromised, impairing a person’s ability to make sound decisions regarding speed, following distance, and overall driving strategy.

When combined, these impairments can create dangerous driving situations, which is why acknowledging that all these factors are negatively affected is vital for understanding the hazards associated with driving under the influence.