Road safety and using machines

Taking medication can affect your ability to drive a vehicle or operate machinery. This can be particularly dangerous in road traffic. The package leaflet or the packaging  of a medication indicate if there is a risk. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Why is there a risk?

• Some medicines can have an immediate effect , but also on the day after taking them.
• These effects can occur with both prescription and non-prescription medicines.
• The effect is often stronger when alcohol is consumed at the same time or when several medicines are taken together.
• Possible effects include: fatigue or sleepiness, dizziness, blurred vision or visual disturbances, falling asleep suddenly, seizures
• Studies show that the risk posed by medication on road traffic is often underestimated.
• You should be particularly careful at the beginning of a treatment, when the dosage has been changed or when switching to a different medication.

Which medications may affect you?

The following groups of medications are examples of those that can impair your reactions or your ability to drive:

• Painkillers
• Medications for depression
• Medications for diabetes
• Medications for epilepsy
• Medicines for allergies
• Medicines for lowering blood pressure
• Medicines for anxiety
• Sleeping pills
• Medicines for psychosis
• Medicines for eye diseases 

If you are taking such a medicine, it is worth taking a look at the package leaflet: you will find information section 2 (‘What you should know before taking/using X’). There is often a traffic warning on the packaging as well — e.g. a small traffic warning triangle.

How is the risk classified?

Medicines are divided into four categories according to their influence on driving ability:

• a) No or negligible influence
• b) Minimal influence
• c) Moderate influence
• d) Significant influence

Additional warnings and precautions apply to categories c) and d). In Austria, a traffic warning is required in the package leaflet or packaging in such cases.

Recommendations for you

To ensure your safety when travelling while taking medication, please note the following:

• Read the entire package leaflet carefully before taking the medication and follow the instructions on the packaging.
• If the medication could potentially impair your ability to drive, your doctor or pharmacist should point this out to you. This also applies to non-prescription medicines.
• Strictly adhere to the prescribed dosage and frequency of administration. Do not stop taking medication on your own initiative or at short notice in the hope of improving your driving ability.
• Do not drive a vehicle or operate machinery if you notice one or more of the following symptoms: dizziness, blurred vision or visual disturbances, sudden sleepiness, seizures