You may have heard about illicit drugs causing many road accidents but did you know that some prescription and pharmacy medications can also affect your driving? The use of any of these drugs that can affect your driving, known as drug driving, is not only illegal but can increase your chance of a car accident. That’s why it’s important to understand how your medications might affect your ability to drive.
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Certain medications may affect your ability to drive[/caption]
Driving is much more complex than just stepping on the accelerator. It requires high concentration to make many decisions all the time, some in a split-second. You also need to have good eye-hand coordination and mental alertness to assess your surroundings and plan ahead. Some medications affect these abilities as they cause:
If you’re not sure about your current medications or have just started new medications, bring them to your pharmacist and they can let you know if your medications will affect your driving. Here are 3 questions you may want to ask your pharmacist:
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TAC: Always ask if it's safe to drive on your medication.[/caption]
Medications always come with some information on the box or a Consumer Medications Information (CMI) inside the box. These can provide you some information about your medication. Also look out for labels to see if your medication may affect your driving. If unsure, don’t stop your medication or change your dose without speaking to your doctor or pharmacist first. If ever unsure about whether your medication is affecting your ability to drive, use alternative transport such as public transport or a taxi.
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Find your nearest Pharmacy4Less[/caption]
You may be interested in:
Transport Accident Commission
Ask Your Pharmacist
How some Medications can affect your Driving
[caption id="attachment_1224" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Certain medications may affect your ability to drive[/caption]Driving is much more complex than just stepping on the accelerator. It requires high concentration to make many decisions all the time, some in a split-second. You also need to have good eye-hand coordination and mental alertness to assess your surroundings and plan ahead. Some medications affect these abilities as they cause:
- drowsiness or tiredness
- dizziness or faintness
- blurred vision
- shakiness or unsteadiness
- confusion and poor concentration
- slower reaction time
- nausea
- mood changes and anxiety
What to ask your pharmacist
If you’re not sure about your current medications or have just started new medications, bring them to your pharmacist and they can let you know if your medications will affect your driving. Here are 3 questions you may want to ask your pharmacist:
- How does this medication affect my driving?
- Is it safe for me to drive on this medication?
- If the medication affects my driving, is there another medicine that may be less impairing?
[caption id="attachment_1225" align="aligncenter" width="143"]
TAC: Always ask if it's safe to drive on your medication.[/caption]Things to Remember
Medications always come with some information on the box or a Consumer Medications Information (CMI) inside the box. These can provide you some information about your medication. Also look out for labels to see if your medication may affect your driving. If unsure, don’t stop your medication or change your dose without speaking to your doctor or pharmacist first. If ever unsure about whether your medication is affecting your ability to drive, use alternative transport such as public transport or a taxi.
[caption id="attachment_1239" align="aligncenter" width="272"]
Find your nearest Pharmacy4Less[/caption]You may be interested in:
Transport Accident Commission
Ask Your Pharmacist