Is it safe to drive on prescription medication?

Every day across Australia, millions of people take prescription and over-the-counter medicines that may affect their ability to drive safely. This includes medication used to treat depression, anxiety, sleep issues, pain, allergies, or even just a cold.

These medications may impact your vision, reaction time, attention, decision-making and co-ordination, which are crucial when you’re behind the wheel. These effects may be even stronger if you take more than the recommended dose or mix medications with alcohol or other drugs.

If you’re taking medication, always read the warning labels and ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medication will affect your driving. This is especially important when starting a new medication or increasing your dose. There may also be an alternative medicine that might be less likely to affect your driving, so it’s worth asking.

Medicinal cannabis is a prescribed medication that may contain THC, an active ingredient of cannabis. Medicinal cannabis is often used to treat chronic pain, cancer symptoms and anxiety. In NSW it is illegal to drive with THC in your system. Unlike other medication, THC can be detected by police through a roadside drug test. It’s important to talk to your doctor before taking medicinal cannabis.

The overall message for anyone taking medication that may affect their driving is to plan ahead and use alternative transport.