Drug-driving risk in hayfever season
- Half of hayfever sufferers drive on medication
- One fifth say medication affects their driving
- Always check your medication before driving
With the hayfever season imminent, drivers could be putting themselves and other road users at risk by driving under the influence of allergy medication.
According to a new survey for Privilege Insurance, one in seven drivers is affected by hayfever or other allergies, and of those, almost half say they have driven while taking medication. One fifth say the drugs adversely affect their driving.
More worrying, one in 10 say that they have lost concentration at the wheel due to impaired reaction caused by allergy or medication.
Many allergy medications can cause drowsiness and warn the user not to drive or operate machinery if affected. However, a quarter of drivers in this survey admit to never having checked their medication for such side effects before driving. Almost a quarter believed there was nothing wrong with driving while on such drugs.
Some anti-allergy drugs can leave the user tired or lethargic, dizzy, or with blurred vision, nausea and poor concentration.
Drivers should always check their medication to see what side effects there are, and if they have any doubts, leave the driving to someone else until they can speak to their doctor or pharmacist.
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