The Christmas season is upon us, and just like every other year, Gardai are out in force.
Checkpoints are always increased during the busy periods of the year when parties and alcohol consumption are at their highest.
Officers can check for the presence of illegal drugs and units of alcohol ingested by a driver using simple roadside tests, but did you know there are certain prescription medicines that could also land you in hot water if you get behind the wheel?
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The consequences can be severe - but motorists might not know they are on a prescribed medication that falls under the list of those you should not be driving while taking.
It’s illegal to drive if you’re impaired by drugs, whether illegal or legal - prescription or over-the-counter medicine - the Road Safety Authority stipulates.
It’s also an offence to drive if you have over the specified limits of certain legal drugs in your blood and you have not been prescribed them.
Gardai can stop you and make you do a ‘field impairment assessment’ if they think you’re impaired in any way.
This is a series of tests, for example asking you to walk in a straight line, but they can also use a roadside drug kit to screen for cannabis and cocaine.
If they think you’re unfit to drive because of taking drugs - legal or illegal - you’ll be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a station.
If you drive and take prescription medicine, it may be helpful to keep evidence of this with you in case you’re pulled over.
Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:
- Sleeping tablets
- Anti-depressants
- Sedatives, tranquilisers or other medicines for anxiety
- Some pain killers
- Some allergy or hay fever medicines
- Many cough and cold remedies (can cause drowsiness or poor co-ordination)
- Some anti-nausea medicines
- Some medicines for epilepsy
- Some medicines for high blood pressure or heart conditions
- Some medicines for diabetes
You can drive after taking these drugs if:
- you’ve been prescribed them and followed advice on how to take them by a healthcare professional
- they are not causing you to be unfit to drive even if you’re above the specified limits
If you’re taking them and not sure if you should drive, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional.
For more information click here.
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