A new campaign to remind drivers taking medicines to check with their doctor or pharmacist before getting behind the wheel has been launched by the Department for Transport.
It comes ahead of the 2nd March introduction of new drug-drive legislation in England and Wales.
The Government says that so long as drivers follow the advice of a healthcare professional and their driving isn't impaired they can continue to drive as usual and aren't at risk of arrest.
In the dawn of new drug-drive legislation, the campaign urges people who take medicines and aren’t sure if they are safe to drive to check with their pharmacist or doctor.
The new law is designed to catch people who risk other people’s lives by getting behind the wheel after taking drugs, and not those taking legitimate medicines that don’t impair their ability to drive.
The new law sets limits at very low levels for eight drugs commonly associated with illegal use, but eight prescription drugs are included within the new law – cloanzepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, methadone and morphine. However, the limits that have been set for those drugs exceed normal prescribed doses, meaning that the vast majority of people can drive as they normally would.