{"id":963598,"date":"2026-05-16T10:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T10:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/963598\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T10:16:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T10:16:23","slug":"dvla-confirms-full-list-of-14-common-prescriptions-that-could-get-drivers-banned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/963598\/","title":{"rendered":"DVLA confirms full list of 14 common prescriptions that could get drivers banned"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Drivers are urged to check with a doctor or pharmacist, as DVLA guidance warns 14 medicines can impair driving.<\/p>\n<p>10:16, 15 May 2026Updated 10:28, 15 May 2026<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DVLA confirms full list of 14 common prescriptions that could get drivers banned\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_tablets.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"DVLA confirms full list of 14 common prescriptions that could get drivers banned\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">DVLA confirms full list of 14 common prescriptions that could get drivers banned<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The DVLA has confirmed a full list of 14 common prescriptions that can see <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/dvla\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">you banned from roads under strict rules<\/a>. Drivers are urged to check with a doctor or pharmacist, as DVLA guidance warns 14 medicines can impair driving.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/dvla\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Greg Wilson of Quotezone said:<\/a> \u201cIf you are on strong medications, it is likely that you will be recommended to avoid driving. Opioid painkillers, tranquillisers, and certain antidepressants are examples of medicines that can affect driving ability \u2013 as well as those that cause drowsiness or say \u2018do not operate heavy machinery.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The issue, according to road experts, is that if a medication is likely to cause drowsiness or carries warnings such as \u201cdo not operate heavy machinery\u201d, motorists may be advised not to get behind the wheel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/news\/cost-of-living\/motability-scraps-compulsory-new-rule-33947161\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">READ MORE Motability scraps compulsory new rule for DWP claimants after backlash<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">You can drive after taking these drugs &#8211; which are listed below, courtesy of the DVLA website &#8211; if you\u2019ve been prescribed them and followed advice on how to take them by a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Or, you could get banned if they are not causing you to be unfit to drive even if you\u2019re above the specified limits, the DVLA adds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">You could be prosecuted if you drive with certain levels of these drugs in your body and you have not been prescribed them, the guidance adds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The law does not cover Northern Ireland but you could still be arrested if you\u2019re unfit to drive, the DVLA also explains on the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/labour-party\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Labour Party<\/a> government website.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">If you fall foul of the rules, your driving licence will also show you\u2019ve been convicted for drug driving. This will last for 11 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving under the influence of drugs is life imprisonment.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">14 common medicines that could see drivers told by DVLA to avoid the road<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Amphetamine<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Dextroamphetamine<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Selegiline<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Clonazepam<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Diazepam<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Flunitrazepam<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Lorazepam<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Methadone<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Morphine<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Codeine<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Tramadol<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Fentanyl<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Oxazepam<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Temazepam<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Drivers are urged to check with a doctor or pharmacist, as DVLA guidance warns 14 medicines can impair&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":963599,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4315],"tags":[1224,105,4326,16,15],"class_list":["post-963598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-medication","tag-dvla","tag-health","tag-medication","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116583740521791226","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/963598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=963598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/963598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/963599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=963598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=963598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=963598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}