Drivers facing huge fine and driving ban for taking hay fever tablets as Britain hit by high pollen warning
Drug-driving laws apply to over-the-counter medication as well as illegal substances and motorists are being warned to check before getting behind the wheel
DRIVERS are being warned about taking hay fever medication as the UK is hit with a high pollen alert.
Tablets used to treat the condition can affect vision, hearing and reaction times and could land you with a criminal record if you're in a car accident.
Over-the-counter medication is covered under the same drug-driving law as cocaine and cannabis that prohibits driving with drugs in your body if they impair your ability.
And hay fever medication can cause sleepiness, sickness and dizziness - all of which would make you more likely to have an accident.
The offence carries a minimum one year driving ban and unlimited fine.
In serious cases you could be landed with a prison term and the criminal offence stays on your driving licence for 11 years.
Advice for avoiding a hay fever ban
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist if a medicine could affect your ability to drive. Be particularly careful if you are using a medicine for the first time
- If you do experience potentially dangerous side effects from a medicine, don’t drive. Organise a taxi or a lift from a friend if you need to travel
- If you find a particular medicine is making you sleepy, consider asking if there is a non-sedating alternative available
- It’s not just prescription medicines that can cause drowsiness and other potentially dangerous side-effects. So, check with your pharmacist if you plan to use an over-the-counter drug
- If you’re unsure about the warning given on the medicine you’re using, ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any risks - before you drive anywhere
The police can stop you and make you do a "field impairment assessment" if they think you’re on drugs - a series of tests like asking you to walk in a straight line.
They can also use a roadside drugalyser to test for cannabis and cocaine.
If cops think you’re unfit to drive because of taking drugs you’ll be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a police station.
Common drugs like diazepam, morphine and temazepam prescribed by doctors also fall under the law.
It's still legal to take these and drive so long as you've been prescribed them, followed advice on taking them and they're not causing you to be unfit to drive even within the specified limits.
Breakdown provider GEM Motoring Assist said it was vital hay fever sufferers take these precautions, too, before getting in the car.
know your road laws
GEM road safety officer Neil Worth said: “Some medicines, including those used to treat hay fever, can have an effect on your ability to drive safely.
"They can affect your vision, your hearing, your reaction time, your perception of risk and your ability to carry out a variety of tasks.
"Your vision may be blurred, and you may also find it hard to focus or pay attention. Symptoms like this make you much more likely to be involved in a collision."