Medicines and Driving
Some medicines can affect your ability to drive, cycle or use machinery. You need to be alert and able to respond quickly to changes in your environment when doing these tasks. Not everyone is affected to the same extent and different people are affected by medicines in different ways.
The danger is you may not notice the effect a medicine has until it is too late. When starting a new medicine, always ask your pharmacist if it is safe to drive, cycle or use machinery and what the warning signs are to look for.
If it is not safe, DO NOT DRIVE.
Reactions to medicines
Some medicines can make you:
* Drowsy or tired
* Dizzy, light-headed or faint
* Not think clearly
* Shaky, unsteady
* Angry, aggressive
* Feel sick
* Have blurred or double vision.
This can make it unsafe to drive, cycle or use machinery.
Risks
If you drive when affected by medicines you may cause an accident. You risk:
* Killing, injuring or disabling other people or yourself
* Damaging property
* Losing your licence
* Losing your insurance cover.
The effect of a medicine on your driving may be greater:
* If you drink alcohol at the same time
* If you take two (or more) medicines that have similar effects on driving
* When you start using a new medicine
* If you take more than the prescribed dose of your medicine
* As you get older
* If you are tired.
Important
* If your medicine affects your driving, stop your driving, not your medicine, and talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
* Ask your pharmacist or doctor if the medicine you are taking (prescription or non-prescription) may affect your driving. Some medicines may affect your driving only until your body gets used to them. Other medicines may affect your driving all the time you are taking them.
* Read the labels on ALL medicines you take. Check with your pharmacist when your medicines have the following labels:
This medicine may cause drowsiness and may increase the effects of alcohol.
If affected, do not drive a motor vehicle or use machinery.
OR
This medicine may affect mental alertness and/or coordination.
If affected, do not drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery.
Medicines
Some prescription and non-prescription medicines used to treat the following conditions may affect your ability to drive, cycle or use machinery.
* Sleeping problems
* Epilepsy, convulsions
* Heart conditions
* High blood pressure
* Fluid retention
* Inflammation (e.g., arthritis)
* Nausea and vomiting
* Reflux, heartburn, indigestion
* Nervous system diseases
* Some infections
* Anxiety, depression - ‘nerves’
* Pain, headache
* Migraine
* Period pain
* Travel/morning sickness
* Coughs and colds
* Allergies, hay fever
* Stomach/duodenal ulcers
* Eye conditions
* Diabetes
* Methadone.
Self care
* If your medicine does affect you, ask if there is an alternative. For example, if you get hay fever, there are antihistamines that are less likely to make you drowsy.
* Ask your pharmacist for a list of all your medicines (e.g., MediList) to remind you of the ones that may affect you.
* Use public transport, take a taxi or ask a friend to drive if you are taking medicines that could affect your driving.
* If you have missed a dose of your prescribed medicine, do not drive if your condition can make driving dangerous (e.g., epilepsy).
* Manage medical conditions by taking medicines correctly - if you have any problems talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
* If your medicine is affecting you, do not drink alcohol. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before mixing alcohol with your medicines.
* Do not drive when you are tired, particularly on longer trips.
* Do not use other people’s medicine - it could have a different effect on you, possibly affecting your driving.
Most illegal drugs will affect your alertness or reaction times. Do not drive if you have used these substances.
Alcohol
Even a small amount of alcohol, especially if taken with some medicines, can affect your driving skills.
Think of yourself, think of others - do not drive if you have been drinking alcohol.
Contact
A doctor - listed under medical practitioners in the yellow pages or the phone book.
A Self Care pharmacy - to locate telephone 1300 369 772 and ask for the Pharmacy Self Care Field Officer.
In case of poisoning, phone the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 from anywhere in Australia.
Pharmacists are medicines experts. Ask your pharmacist for advice when choosing a medicine.
