As you know (hopefully not from experience), the use of alcohol or other drugs impairs your judgment. And let’s be honest: your judgment’s not all that sharp in the first place.

Once you are of drinking age, you will need to wait at least one hour for every drink you have consumed before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. This means that if you were to go on an insane drinking binge and consume four six-packs of beer, you would need to wait a full 24 hours before driving. That is, if the alcohol poisoning hasn’t put you in the hospital or worse. Play it safe and don’t drink excessively, and if possible, have someone who has not been drinking at all drive you home. Or to a rehab clinic.

Same goes for drugs. Depending on the substance, it can mess with your mind equally or more than alcohol, so these are a no-no. Even prescription or over-the-counter drugs; if they produce side effects that negatively influence your ability to react and make good decisions, you should not drive after taking them. If you feel the need to get a buzz, why not get high on life? The comedown isn’t as painful, and you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding a dealer.

Here are a few helpful facts about drugs:

1. Many common cold and allergy medications can make you drowsy. If intending to drive soon afterward, take only non-drowsy medicine. But you’re sick, so you should really be in bed. You look terrible, by the way.
2. Clearly you don’t drink, but when you do, don’t mix alcohol with any medicine. While a Benadryl margarita sounds delicious, it can have ill effects. Ill as in bad.
3. You may be tempted to take pills that are designed to boost your energy when feeling tired, but be aware that these generally cause you to later become dizzy and unfocused—not a good state to be in, especially when trying to decide which of those eight bridges to take.

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