Drug Driving in Victoria: Impairment, Medicines and Penalties

Illegal drugs

• Ecstasy, cannabis and heroin can all affect your ability to drive safely.
• Drugs like ice or ecstasy can make you feel like a better driver while making you more confident but less skilful.
• When their effects wear off, a strong need for sleep can raise your risk of crashing.
• Cannabis can slow your reaction to other drivers, reduce concentration and decision making, and make you miss road signs and hazards.
• Even small amounts of cannabis with alcohol cause much greater impairment than either one on its own.

Medicines

Many prescription medicines, and some bought from a pharmacist, can affect your mood, concentration, co-ordination and reaction time. Examples include sleeping tablets, muscle relaxants, sedatives, some antihistamines (found in hay fever, cold and flu medicines) and some strong painkillers. When you start a new medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist how it may affect your driving. Do not use alcohol with your medicines, and stick to the prescribed dose.

If your medicine affects your reflexes or concentration, makes you sleepy, or gives you blurred or double vision, stop driving and contact your doctor or pharmacist. The handbook's tip: stop your driving, not your medicine. Use a taxi, public transport or a friend instead.

Penalties

• A drug-driving conviction means a licence ban, and you must complete a Behaviour Change Program before being relicensed.
• If you refuse a breath, blood or saliva test and are convicted, your licence is cancelled, you are disqualified for at least two years and you must complete an Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Behaviour Change Program.
• Your vehicle may be impounded. See vehicle impoundment.

See the shorter guide drugs, medicines and driving and the alcohol link in drink driving penalties.

Based on the Victorian Road to Solo Driving handbook and the VicRoads learner and probationary pages. Rules change from time to time, so check vicroads.vic.gov.au for the latest.