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California Car / Permit practice question · Alcohol & Drugs

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines:

Answer choices

  • Are always safe to use before driving
  • Can impair driving, and driving while impaired by them is illegal— Correct answer
  • Only affect drivers over 65
  • Cannot lead to a DUI arrest

Why this is the answer

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines can affect your ability to drive safely, and the law treats them like any other drug. It is illegal to drive after taking any drug that impairs you, and you can be arrested for DUI. Read labels and learn a medicine's effects first, because being legal to buy does not make it safe to drive on.

Source: California Driver Handbook — Drugs and Driving

Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026

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