You have been given this leaflet as you are taking a medication that can cause drowsiness and reduce your reaction speed and therefore impact your ability to drive safely.

While taking this medication does not automatically disqualify you from driving, if you experience drowsiness or a reduction in the speed of your reactions, it is illegal to drive in the UK and would invalidate your insurance.

When on stable doses of prescribed medications, if you are not impacted by drowsiness or reduced reaction speeds, you may be able to restart driving. However, you must carry evidence that these drugs are prescribed for you and you are taking these drugs as prescribed by a health care professional.

It is important to read and understand this leaflet. Please ask for assistance from your healthcare provider or the DVLA if you have further questions.

Which medications may impact your ability to drive?

  • Strong opioids: morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, alfentanil, buprenorphine, diamorphine

  • Other medications used for pain: pregabalin, gabapentin, amitriptyline, ketamine, methadone
  • Medications for anxiety: midazolam, lorazepam, clonazepam, diazepam
  • Other medications that may cause drowsiness: anti-sickness medications (Levomepromazine, haloperidol); anti-seizure medications (levetiracetam, sodium valproate, phenytoin); medications for mental health conditions (risperidone, olanzapine); as well as hay fever medications and sleeping tablets.
  • Other substances that may worsen the drowsiness: alcohol, amphetamines, illicit drugs such as cannabis.

This list is not exhaustive and any medications that cause you to be drowsy puts you at risk of breaking the law.

What does the law say?

  • It is illegal to drive or attempt to drive if you are impaired by drowsiness / sleepiness or reduced reaction speeds while taking the specific medications, substances and drugs as listed above. This would also invalidate your insurance.
  • Driving while taking the medications in bold in the above box is illegal even if you are not impaired unless following the directions of a healthcare professional. You should carry evidence of your prescription.

When NOT to drive

  • If you feel drowsy or sleepy at any point, or your reaction speed is reduced
  • For 5 days after starting / changing the dose of these medications
  • On any days where you have had to take extra (breakthrough or rescue) doses of your medications e.g. oramorph, oxycodone or lorazepam
  • If you have taken any additional medications (prescribed or not) or substances that cause drowsiness, as listed above

Restarting Driving

You should only restart to drive when you are no longer impacted by drowsiness / sleepiness or reduced reaction speed. At this point you should follow the guidance below:

  • Make short journeys
  • On roads that are quiet and familiar
  • At a quiet time of the day when the light is good
  • With a companion who can take over driving if needed.
  • Ensure nothing else is impacting on your ability to drive physically (eg pain or weakness) and may prevent you driving safely or making an emergency stop.

You should inform your insurance company to be sure that you are covered.

Other conditions that may impact your ability to drive

  • Physical weakness or reduced functioning of one or more limbs impacting your ability to handle the car and make an emergency stop – generalised weakness, stroke, brain tumour
  • Slowed reactions or change in eye sight – brain tumours / brain metastases, dementia, stroke
  • Risk of sudden events – seizures, bleeding
  • Lack of co-ordination impacting your ability to control the car – physical impacts eg from parkinson’s disease or a brain tumour / brain metastases
  • Severe symptoms that may distract you and make driving unsafe – breathlessness, pain, anxiety, nausea

If you are impacted by these, or any other condition you feel may impair your ability to drive, you should talk to your healthcare provider and discuss your concerns with the DVLA.

Who should I contact?

A health care professional, if you are unsure about any of the above or need some assistance on deciding when it is safe / unsafe to drive.

DVLA

You do not need to contact the DVLA when starting new medications, however, there may be other information about your illness that the DVLA needs to know (see above).

Call 0300 790 6806; Monday to Friday 8am until 7pm, Saturday 8am until 2pm.

Drivers Medical Enquiries,
DVLA,
Swansea,
SA99 1TU

Car insurance company

You must inform your insurance company if your condition changes or the medications you are taking change. Not doing so may invalidate your insurance.

Confidentiality

‘The Trust’s vision is to keep your information safe in our hands.’ We promise to use your information fairly and legally, and in-line with local and national policies. You have a right to understand how your information is used and you can request a copy of the information we hold about you at any time.

For further information on confidentiality contact the Information Governance Team:

Information.Governance@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 603961

Feedback

We appreciate and encourage feedback, which helps us to improve our services. If you have any comments, compliments or concerns to make about your care, please contact the Patient, Advice & Liaison Service:

pals@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 814008 or 01946 523818

If you would like to raise a complaint regarding your care, please contact the Complaints Department:

complaints@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 936302