Driving under the influence: we've all heard about it, or even seen it on one of those dodgy US cop reality TV shows that get shown on high-numbered satellite channels. When the perp is finally forced to a halt, it's normally someone at the wheel who's spent the night in a bar drinking 17 beers, or one of those youngsters who've had a little smoke... and we're not talking about e-cigs here, either.
But we bet most of you don't think the driver weaving crazily about ahead of you could be off their rocker on over-the-counter medicine.
A recent survey by a road safety charity and an insurance company has found 'an alarming level of ignorance and complacency' about the risks of over-the-counter and prescription medication, including the sort of anti-allergen tablets many of people take at this time of the year, as noses go haywire in pollen-heavy air.
Apparently, one in six (17 per cent) of drivers interviewed admitted to either ignoring warnings not to drive or not checking the label on medication at all - probably the sort of people who don't bother indicating, either, when they're navigating a busy junction.
A lot of the stuff we take to combat hay fever can cause drowsiness, slow reaction times, affect co-ordination or concentration, or even (worryingly) impair vision. As many as three in ten drivers are unaware anti-allergens can impair driving skills in such ways.
Still, it's a bit unfair to turn the spotlight of suspicion on those poor folk who end up snuffling when Spring has sprung - awareness of the impact of taking decongestants (47 per cent) and cough medicines (60 per cent) suggests there are plenty of people in the winter months who perhaps should be staying at home with their Lemsips, rather than 'bravely' venturing out in their car. It's a dangerous world out there, folks... so stay off the Lockets.
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