1Police will start saliva-based drug driving crackdowns in April.
2Regular cold medicine is not an illegal drug, so taking it isn't punishable.
3However, causing an accident after taking drowsiness-inducing pills is risky.
📖 Easy Explanation
🔍 Background
Driving under the influence of drugs has recently become a growing social issue. To prevent this, police are introducing a new roadside testing method that detects not only alcohol but also illegal drug substances.
📌 Key Points
Starting in April, police will test drivers' saliva to detect illegal drugs. Many worry about getting caught just for taking cold medicine, but common cold or allergy medications are not targeted, so you can rest assured.
💡 Why It Matters
However, many cold medicines contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Even if you pass the drug test, causing an accident due to medication can lead to penalties for 'violating safe driving duties.' It's best to avoid driving if your medicine warns of drowsiness.
📚 Glossary
약물운전 (Yakmul-unjeon)Driving a vehicle while unable to drive normally due to the use of illegal drugs or psychotropic substances.
타액 간이검사기 (Ta-aek gani-geomsagi)A portable device used to immediately check for illegal drug substances in the body using saliva at the scene.