2023-11-28 00:00:00
In its new information campaign, the Road Safety Delegation recommends above all to pay attention, before hitting the road, to the warning pictogram which may be present on the box of the medicine you have taken.
The Road Safety Delegation emphasizes that currently “ knowledge of pictograms to make users aware of the risks of taking medication while driving is insufficient ».
There are three levels of riskidentifiable by a pictogram in three colors:
level 1 (yellow pictogram) – taking this medication does not generally affect the driving of your vehicle. However, it is necessary that you be informed before getting behind the wheel that you must remain vigilant regarding any possible manifestation of the effects reported in the medication leaflet; level 2 (orange pictogram) – taking this medicine may affect your ability to drive; it is therefore necessary to seek the advice of your doctor or pharmacist; level 3 (red pictogram) – taking this medicine makes driving dangerous. The effect may even continue for some time following stopping taking the medication. It is therefore recommended to seek the advice of your doctor before starting to drive once more. If it is a medication without a medical prescription, ask your pharmacist for advice.
To know : certain pathologies can also have an influence on driving abilities, whether motor, visual, auditory or even neurological. If in doubt, it is advisable to speak with your doctor. In particular, he will be able to advise you on making an appointment with an approved doctor for the assessment of fitness to drive.
What are the possible effects of medications?
Certain medications can cause:
vision problems; a slowing of reflexes, a reduction in alertness and attention, drowsiness or even falling asleep; dizziness and balance problems.
These effects can appear isolated or cumulative, and their importance may depend on the doses absorbed. These different impacts of taking medication on the ability to drive can also be aggravated in the event of fatigue.
What medications present a risk?
Among the families of medications that may represent a risk for driving a vehicle:
anxiolytics (benzodiazepines and related drugs, etc.); sleeping pills; antidepressants; certain medications for pain and fever; anti-inflammatories; certain medicines to treat migraine.
Sleeping pills and benzodiazepines are the medical substances most frequently found in the blood tests of road accident victims.
The Road Safety Delegation recommends that you tell your doctor or pharmacist your means of travel, if necessary. This will allow them to find the medication that is least likely to impair your ability to drive.
Rappel : in 2017, an order from the Ministry of Health modified and extended the list of medications presenting risks for driving. Benzodiazepines were then moved from level 2 to level 3.
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