Driving While You Are Taking Medications

Driving is a complex skill, requiring a coordination of physical and mental abilities, as well as information from our senses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers advice people who use medications should know before heading out on the road.

Medicines may affect our ability to drive. These include medications that your doctor prescribes, as well as over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements. Some medicines may cause a variety of reactions that make it more difficult to operate a vehicle. These reactions may include:

• sleepiness
• blurred vision
• dizziness
• slowed movement
• fainting
• inability to focus or pay attention
• nausea.

As we saw in the previous article, seniors are at higher risk for medication problems, because they take more medicines than other age groups, and because our bodies respond differently to medications as we grow older. Driving safety is one of the reasons it is important to request a medication review every year, even if you aren’t currently experiencing any problems with your medications.

Q: Can I still drive safely if I am taking medications?

Yes, most people can drive safely if they are using medications. It depends on the effect those medicines—both prescription and over-the-counter—have on your driving. In some cases, you may not be aware of the effects. But, in many instances, your doctor can help to minimize the negative impact of your medicines on your driving in several ways. Your doctor may be able to:

• Adjust the dose
• Adjust the timing of doses or when you use the medicine
• Add an exercise or nutrition program to lessen the need for medicine
• Change the medicine to one that causes less drowsiness.

Q: What can I do if I am taking medications?

Talk to your doctor honestly. When your doctor prescribes a medicine for you, ask about side effects. How should you expect the medicine to affect your ability to drive? Remind your doctor of other medicines—both prescription and over-the-counter—and herbal supplements you are using, especially if you see more than one doctor. Talking honestly with your doctor also means telling the doctor if you are not using all or any of the prescribed medicines. Do not stop using your medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

Ask your doctor if you should drive, especially when you first take a medication. Using a new medicine can cause you to react in a number of ways. It is recommended that you do not drive when you first start using a new medicine until you know how that drug affects you. You also need to be aware that some over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements can make it difficult for you to drive safely.

Talk to your pharmacist. Get to know your pharmacist. Ask the him or her to go over your medicines with you, and to remind you of effects they may have on your ability to drive safely. Be sure to request printed information about the side effects of any new medicine. Remind your pharmacist of other medicines and herbal supplements you are using.

Monitor yourself. Learn to know how your body reacts to the medicine and supplements you take. Keep track of how you feel after you use the medicine. For example, do you feel sleepy? Is your vision blurry? Do you feel weak and slow? When do these things happen?

Let your doctor and pharmacist know what is happening. If you are experiencing side effects, the doctor needs to know that in order to adjust your medicine. Your doctor can help you find a medicine that works best for you.

What if I have to cut back or give up driving? You can keep your independence even if you can't drive. See "Is It Time to Give Up the Car?" in the September 2009 issue of Aging in Stride to find out how public transportation options can take you where you want to go. And see "Driving Safety for Older Adults" for more resources and a checklist for older drivers.