Motorists across England, Scotland, and Wales are being issued a critical warning: taking certain prescribed medicines could render you legally unfit to drive. The alert comes from road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist, which stresses that ignoring advice on medication could lead to severe penalties and put lives at risk.
The Major Safety Risk of Driving on Medication
James Luckhurst, Head of Road Safety at GEM, has highlighted a significant and often overlooked danger on UK roads. He emphasised that some medicines can cause drowsiness, severely impairing a driver's abilities. "Some medicines can make you drowsy and therefore unfit to drive," Luckhurst stated. "If you ignore the warnings, you could be breaking the law as well as putting yourself and others at increased risk of a collision."
His advice is unequivocal: if you feel unwell, or if your medication carries a drowsiness or 'may affect driving' warning, you should not drive. Instead, he urges people to arrange alternative transport while they recover or to consult their doctor or pharmacist about a non-drowsy alternative.
The Nine Types of Medication in Question
The warning specifically relates to nine categories of drugs. Drivers are advised to speak to their doctor about their fitness to drive if they have been prescribed any of the following:
- Amphetamines, such as dexamphetamine or selegiline
- Clonazepam
- Diazepam
- Flunitrazepam
- Lorazepam
- Methadone
- Morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, for example codeine, tramadol or fentanyl
- Oxazepam
- Temazepam
Understanding the Law and Severe Consequences
The legal landscape is strict. It is illegal to drive in England, Scotland, and Wales with legal drugs in your body if they impair your driving. Furthermore, it is an offence to drive if you have over the specified limits of these drugs in your blood and you have not been prescribed them.
There is a crucial distinction for those with a valid prescription. You can drive after taking these drugs if you have been prescribed them, have followed a healthcare professional's advice on how to take them, and they are not causing you to be unfit to drive—even if you are above the specified legal limits.
However, the consequences of breaking these laws are severe. If convicted of drug driving, you face:
- A minimum one-year driving ban
- An unlimited fine
- Up to six months in prison
- A criminal record
Your driving licence will also be marked with a drug driving conviction for 11 years. In the most tragic circumstances, the maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving under the influence of drugs is life imprisonment.
This stark warning serves as a vital reminder for all drivers to review their medication and heed professional advice, ensuring their safety and the safety of everyone on the road.
