Driving Ability and Psychotropic Drugs: Introduction, Epidemiology and General Aspects

Abstract

Psychiatric illness, psychotropic drugs and driving ability. For most people driving is an important activity in daily life affecting physical, social, and economic well-being. Driving mobility is also an important part of one's self-identity that may influence health status. It could be demonstrated that 67% of psychiatric patients reported to have a valid driver's license and 77% of them referred to regularly use their cars. Closer inspection of data reveals, that road mobility is largely linked to psycho-functional status. In this context a significant issue is the impact of medical conditions and/or psychoactive medicines on road safety. Psychiatric patients, considered as a group, seem to have a moderately elevated risk of being involved in a road traffic accident with high-risk rates especially for organic mental disorders. With respect to pharmacotherapy, within psychotropic medicines an increased road traffic crash risk for benzodiazepines, z-hypnotics and some antidepressants has been well documented. The combination of psychoactive drugs additionally increases risk that is highest when combined with alcohol. However, therapeutic drug use may also lower risk, as the illness itself constitutes a higher risk of road traffic accidents. As many studies did not adequately control for confounding factors, results of epidemiological studies must be interpreted cautiously.

Disclosure of interest

The author declares that he has no competing interest.