You might think the common cold is harmless – but drivers should think again. This winter millions of drivers risk breaking the law while driving under the influence of cold and flu remedies. Even those bought over the counter can cause a level of drowsiness which makes some people unfit to drive. This criminal offence carries the same serious penalties of drink driving.
On average we will catch around 2 to 4 colds a year, leading many us to stock up on remedies for the start of the official cold and flu season. However, over the counter medication can induce drowsiness that is the equivalent of being drunk. Medicines that can cause drowsiness include those for allergies, coughs, anti-nausea travel sickness treatments and sleep remedies.
Experts believe drivers would benefit from a traffic light system which is currently in use in Europe. The level of drowsiness caused by the medicine is on the pack in an easy to understand picture format. Some road safety experts are still saying that this is not enough though.
Dr Chris Steele, of ITV This Morning fame, is backing an initiative by GEM Motoring Assist, to raise awareness of the dangers of drug driving this winter. Dr Chris firmly advises that motorists should not just carefully read the label, but should consult their doctor or pharmacist to whether they are safe to drive after taking the medicine. Some drugs can take hours to leave the body, so motorists drivers should also ensure that they are fit to drive the morning after before getting behind the wheel.
Dr Chris is currently backing a campaign by road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist to increase awareness about medication and driving ability. David Williams, Chief Executive Officer for GEM, said that “regrettably, too often the warnings on medicine packaging are vague and difficult to find which causes great confusion and can lead to real dangers on our roads”. This winters campaign will hopefully substantially reduce the number of drug-related deaths on Britain’s roads.
A drink driving ban will require the help of a solicitor with experience in motoring offences
