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New alcohol/drug testing rules

Posted , 7 users are following.

RetiredGp
RetiredGp

As many will have read recently, police will be testing randomly for alcohol and drugs (including prescribed drugs). Many prescribed drugs now include a very specific warning about driving; many others play safe and say "may cause drowsiness ... if affected don't drive". Some say "if in doubt consult your GP or pharmacist". 

Firstly let me say i am totally in favour of the principle of this policy.

But I do have a concern in respect of those stopped and found positive to say one of the stronger painkillers or other listed drugs. They may well have taking them for years and any sedative or other side effects which could impair their driving ability have long disappeared. They are therefore fit to drive. But the police have a positive test. Will they make a judgement call? Will they arrest the person and take them a police station to await a police surgeon? Should they go and see their GPs in advance and get a certificate to certify they are fit to drive? Their GP will love that one!

Let's hope some discretion is applied.

 

4 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • georgeGG
    georgeGG RetiredGp

    Posted

    Thank you. I had not noticed this change in the law. You hope that there might be discretion. Asprin, paracetamol, ibuprofen across counter, cough medicine, expectorant come to mind . I have never noticed any tedency to drowsiness with these. Would you think my discretion would be irrelevant? The discretion you have in mind is perhaps that of the police surgeon?
    • Begadoc
      Begadoc georgeGG

      Posted

      The question of discretion is the problem. Yours, the police, the doctors? You mention cough medicines as a drug you have taken without drowsiness. As a doctor I would hesitate to say you can drive after taking some of the cough medicines as many contain codeine (an opiate) and an antihistamine, both drugs which if you do not take them regularly (which is likely to be the case) could very well affect driving. The others you mention are not a problem. The trouble is the patient would be unable to distinguish minor impairment from no impairment. Does a half pint or a glass of wine affect you? You probably would answer it doesn't. I would, but reaction tests show it does. You can't tell, the doctor can't without realtively sophisticated tests and the policeman can't. 

      The discretion I would hope for is for the police to ignore positives on prescription drugs if there is no reason for concern about the person's behaviour, and they were tested simply as a random test and not because of concern about their driving. After all what they are aiming to stop are the drunk drivers  and those who have taken so called recreational drugs who are definitely unfit.

      I suggest carrying your prescription counterfoil in your wallet may be a good idea!

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop RetiredGp

    Posted

    They come up with these ideas but don't think them through.

    Apart from adding potential work to GPs'  load, they are also adding more to our various Police Forces, when they are cutting manpower.

     

  • UK-Ven-medicate
    UK-Ven-medicate RetiredGp

    Posted

    yeah this is due to come in the uk from march 2015. i think its ill thought out . if thevwas an accident maybe it key. but alot of people arent impaired bybtbese drugs more so if they have been on them for long periods.

    how will tbe police in uk enforce thisvwithball these cuts. just another person who has no idea coming up withbsomething that sounds good.

    im afraid up to know its never been an issue, and in my mind there are bigger issues to solve suchnas tbe illegal drugs problem, whichbagain with reduced number of police is only goung to get worse

  • SteV3
    SteV3 RetiredGp

    Posted

    Hi,

    Personally, I think it is a bad idea - I think it will cause more problems than its worth...

    My wife has been driving for many years, we have had 2 accidents in this period but neither one was our fault and both happened at roundabouts and we were shunted by a car the first time then a lorry, the excuse by the lorry driver was "I did not see you!" - That was totally impossible, a nice sunny day and we had a bright red large car!! How can he possibly miss that?

    Right, I am completely disabled and rely on my wife to not only drive me around but also push me in my wheelchair. In the summer she suffers from hayfever which in the UK is becoming worse each year, so she has to take, wait for this, non-drowiness antihistamine tablets. Supposedly non-drowsey, yet they make her drowsy, so during the summer we'll have no choice but to stay in doors because she will not be allowed to drive and I cannot go out the house without her.

    So, our car supplied on the Motability Hire Scheme which I gave up my full mobility allowance for will be sat on our drive doing nothing, because no one else is insured to drive it. I am disabled and have uncontrolled Epilepsy, so have no license until I can get the epilepsy controlled and for at least 12 months.

    Therefore what happens when I need BOTOX Injections done every 10 weeks iin hospital by Consultant Neurologists? The amount of appointments I have at my Doctors and Hospital in a year goes way beyond that of a normal able-bodied person. The Gov't need to make exceptions, the times the disabled are hit by new stupid laws in the EU is ridiculous. They do not think things through properly or how certain people can be affected.

    I can understand this if it was a Thursday, if you're wondering why try and drive around a supermarket carpark without getting hit by an OAP, the chances of getting hit on this day of the week is terrible, you only have to look at insurance claims for Thursdays. I am not saying OAP's should not be on the road, but they really need to be re-tested, reactions are slower, eye-sight worse, etc. Not all OAP's come into this catagory, but you see many accidents happen on Thursday mornings than any other day of the week, because pensions are paid.

    And people wonder why they prefer online grocery shopping than going out and getting your car damaged. OAP's prefer to drive to supermarkets, and todays people would rather order online.

    Regards,

    Les.

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