Anyone taking one of these three prescription meds could be banned from driving
A warning has now been issued to anyone taking one of three specific prescription medications which could mean they are banned from driving.
Greg Wilson, founder of car insurance specialists at Quotezone, has cautioned such individuals to 'avoid driving' altogether, as they could face severe consequences if found driving under the influence of such meds.
"If you are on strong medications, it is likely that you will be recommended to avoid driving," he urged.
Road safety charity, Brake, told Birmingham Live "Many prescription and over-the-counter medications impair ability to drive safely, for instance causing drowsiness, affecting reaction times, coordination, concentration or vision."
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The experts went on to add that warnings on medication can be 'vague or in small print only', noting: "They may indicate there is a risk of impairment but not relate it to driving.
"They may leave it to the user to judge their own level of impairment (which can be hard)."
But what are these three medications?
Well, Greg maps out that they include opioid painkillers, tranquillisers, and certain antidepressants, as well as medications 'that cause drowsiness or say 'do not operate heavy machinery''.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has highlighted that it is illegal in England, Scotland and Wales to drive with legal drugs in your body if it impairs your driving.
As a driver, you are only permitted to get behind the wheel after consuming such medications if they have been prescribed to you, you've adhered to a healthcare professional's advice on their usage or if they do not render you unfit to drive even if you exceed the specified limits.
However, as Gov.uk notes, you could be fined up to as much as £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving as you can be prosecuted if you are involved in an accident as a result.
The official website for the UK government recommends that motorists talk to their doctor about whether or not you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:
- amphetamine, for example dexamphetamine or selegiline
- clonazepam
- diazepam
- flunitrazepam
- lorazepam
- methadone
- morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, for example codeine, tramadol or fentanyl
- oxazepam
- temazepam
The law does not cover Northern Ireland but you could still be arrested if you are deemed unfit to drive, Gov.uk adds.
Rhiannon Ingle