Meds and driving

septemberblues

Hello everybody, I think this is my first new thread ever

I take antidepressants & antipsychotics at night, and antipsychotics in the day. I know that at night I am unable to drive (or stand!) due to the pills as they make me massively tired, so I don't drive. In the morning I take antipsychotics but not antideppresants and I don't feel tired, so I am ok to drive.............................however, a friend reckons that by law I am supposed to inform my insurers about my meds, or they may decide that if I have an accident in the car that I'm not insured due to non-disclosure.

Now, I certainly don't want to be uninsured but I also don't want to inform the insurance peeps if I don't have to.

Any thoughts on this please?

Oldernotwiser

septemberblues wrote: »

Hello everybody, I think this is my first new thread ever

I take antidepressants & antipsychotics at night, and antipsychotics in the day. I know that at night I am unable to drive (or stand!) due to the pills as they make me massively tired, so I don't drive. In the morning I take antipsychotics but not antideppresants and I don't feel tired, so I am ok to drive.............................however, a friend reckons that by law I am supposed to inform my insurers about my meds, or they may decide that if I have an accident in the car that I'm not insured due to non-disclosure.

Now, I certainly don't want to be uninsured but I also don't want to inform the insurance peeps if I don't have to.

Any thoughts on this please?

If you're uninsured because of your meds isn't it better to find out now rather than if you have to make a claim?

cattie

Best to phone the insurance company & make a general inquiry about this.

Usually with such meds you get an info leaftlet warning you not to drive or operate machinery while taking the medication, so what does it say on the info leaflet with your meds?

A pharmacist is a wealth of information about the side effects of any prescribed medication & can often help you understand the side effects & any limitations the manufacturers are laying down when taking them.

septemberblues

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you're uninsured because of your meds isn't it better to find out now rather than if you have to make a claim?

I agree, but I don't think I am uninsured, and I'm worried that if I tell the (brand spanking new) insurers about my meds it might cause problems, I dont want to rock the boat for no reason. It's not my insurance policy, I'm a named driver, it's for my daughters new car, I haven't driven it yet. I was hoping someone could give me a definitive answer of Yes or No

And I certainly wouldn't dream of driving if I didn't feel I was fully compus mentis (sp?)

septemberblues

cattie wrote: »

Best to phone the insurance company & make a general inquiry about this.

Usually with such meds you get an info leaftlet warning you not to drive or operate machinery while taking the medication, so what does it say on the info leaflet with your meds?

A pharmacist is a wealth of information about the side effects of any prescribed medication & can often help you understand the side effects & any limitations the manufacturers are laying down when taking them.

Both meds say "If sleepy do not drive or use machinery" so I don't drive in the evening, but I feel fine during the day.

Oldernotwiser

septemberblues wrote: »

I agree, but I don't think I am uninsured, and I'm worried that if I tell the (brand spanking new) insurers about my meds it might cause problems, I dont want to rock the boat for no reason.

But you'll have to tell them if you have an accident! Surely you're either insured or not on these meds; it doesn't depend on whether you tell them or not.

mealone

You should also contact Swanseas (DVLA) medical department and discuss it with them, you wouldnt want to discover that you have invalidated you licence by way of none disclosure of a medical condition.

cifpower

I am bi-polar and take medication (one of which make me tired so I take at night) and I informed the DVLA of this. They asked for a report from my doctor and they received a report from their own medical team too. I was given a 3 year medical licence instead of the normal 10.

If you have a severe mental illness I would definitely inform the DVLA and your insurance company as it may invalidate it.

lilac_lady

There must be literally millions of drivers who take antidepressants so are they invalidating their insurance by not telling the company?

Also does everyone with a heart attack, diabetis, stroke etc tell their insurance company? Are they all uninsured too?

cifpower

lilac_lady wrote: »

There must be literally millions of drivers who take antidepressants so are they invalidating their insurance by not telling the company?

Also does everyone with a heart attack, diabetis, stroke etc tell their insurance company? Are they all uninsured too?

I don't know. I said "may" and to cover all bases I think it would be prudent to inform those who need to know - DVLA and insurance company

mealone

lilac_lady wrote: »

There must be literally millions of drivers who take antidepressants so are they invalidating their insurance by not telling the company?

Also does everyone with a heart attack, diabetis, stroke etc tell their insurance company? Are they all uninsured too?

I am a belt and braces person and so would inform Swansea of taking anti-depressants.

For heart attacks, diabetes and stroke you MUST inform Swansea.