Read the small print

More than three million motorists use medicines which could impair their driving, according to the RAC Foundation.

As the hay-fever season begins, the RAC Foundation is joining forces with Andrew Dismore MP to call for simpler warning labels on medicines that don’t mix with driving.

Most drivers are unaware that over-the-counter and prescription medicines can affect their concentration and reaction speeds.

More than one hundred over-the-counter medicines can affect driving:-

Decongestants can cause dizziness and anxiety

Antihistamines – taken for hay fever – can cause sleepiness and delayed reaction times.

In fact, the recommended dose of some old-fashioned antihistamines can have a worse effect on driving than being over the alcohol limit.

Other medicines can cause blurred vision and loss of concentration.

Young and elderly drivers are at particular risk – young drivers because of their lack of experience, and elderly drivers because medicines take longer to leave their systems and so can build up to higher concentrations.

London MP Andrew Dismore has presented a Bill to Parliament calling for better information for drivers about the medicines they may be taking**. The Bill should receive its Second Reading today.

Motorists need better warning labels to let them know which medicines might affect their driving. At present, labelling is very confusing: the wording can vary between medicines; some manufacturers put the warning only on the leaflet inside the packet, which is easily lost; warnings are often in very small print. And there will always be some people who don’t think the warning applies to them.

The RAC Foundation has previously called for a traffic light system, which shows a red light on drugs likely to affect a driver’s reactions, an amber light on drugs which may make it advisable not to drive, and a green light on drugs which are considered safe for motorists. Some countries already place a red triangle on the packaging of drugs which will impair driving performance as a clear caution to drivers.***

Until this system is implemented in the UK, the RAC Foundation advises motorists to remember the three Rs:-

Read the small print

Stick to the recommended dose – taking more than the specified amount can increase the risk of unwanted side-effects

Ring your pharmacist or doctor for advice if you feel that your driving has been affected.
If in doubt, stop driving – don’t stop taking the medicine. Ask the pharmacist for a safe alternative.

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said “We believe that a clear, eye-catching system is needed to warn motorists about the risks of mixing certain medicines and driving. It is easy to believe that a medicine sold over the counter is a safe medicine, but motorists should always read the small print before taking to the road. We hope that the House of Commons will back this important Bill.”

Andrew Dismore MP said “Clearer labelling seems to me an excellent way both to alert the public to the unexpected hazards of what they may be taking to cure their ills, and to provide a clear safety message, triggering the need to consider risks before driving. A red triangle marking would stand as an unambiguous warning that the ability to drive or work safely might be impaired on taking the drug.”