Alcohol, Drugs and Fitness to Drive
Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive covers how your health, tiredness, eyesight, alcohol and
any
drugs or medicines you take affect your ability to drive safely. You
must be fit to drive and must not drive under the influence of alcohol or
drugs.
Understanding these rules is essential for passing the DVSA driving theory test
and for staying safe on real UK roads.
Use this Alcohol, Drugs and Fitness to Drive guide to learn the key rules for drivers, see how they apply in everyday driving, and help you prepare for the UK
car theory test,
motorcycle theory test,
HGV / LGV theory test,
PCV theory test, or
ADI Part 1 DVSA theory test.
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What do alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive mean?
Fitness to drive means being physically and mentally able to drive safely every time you
get behind
the wheel. This includes your general health, eyesight, level of tiredness and whether you have alcohol or
drugs
(including some medicines) in your system.
-
Fitness to drive - you must be well enough to drive, able to see clearly
and not so
tired, ill or distracted that your driving is affected.
-
Alcohol - driving after drinking is dangerous and can be a criminal offence
if you are
over the legal limit or unfit to drive.
-
Drugs and medicines - illegal drugs and some prescription or over-the-counter
medicines
can seriously affect your driving; you must not drive if your ability is impaired.
Alcohol and drugs can slow your reactions, affect your coordination, distort your judgement of speed and
distance,
and make you more likely to take risks. Even small amounts can affect your driving, and you can still be
unfit to
drive the morning after drinking. You must never drive under the influence of drugs.
Key alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive rules
As a learner driver or rider, you need to show that you understand the law on alcohol and drugs,
and
that you only drive when you are fit to do so. Here are the key rules you should know:
-
Only drive if you are fit and well. Do not drive if you have a medical condition,
injury
or illness that affects your driving. If you have a condition that could affect your driving in the long
term, you
may need to tell the DVLA.
-
Avoid driving when you are tired. Do not start a journey if you feel sleepy. Plan
breaks
of at least 15 minutes every 2 hours on long trips and stop in a safe place if you begin to feel drowsy.
-
Make sure your eyesight is good enough. You must be able to read a vehicle number
plate
from 20 metres in good daylight. If you need glasses or contact lenses to do this, you must wear them every
time
you drive.
-
Take care with bright light and tinted lenses. Slow down or stop if you are
dazzled
by bright sunlight, and do not use tinted glasses, lenses or visors at night or in poor visibility if they
make it
harder to see.
-
Do not drink and drive. Alcohol reduces your coordination, slows your reactions,
affects
your judgement of speed and distance, and can make you over-confident. The safest choice is not to drink at
all if
you plan to drive.
-
Never drive under the influence of drugs or certain medicines . Illegal drugs and
some
medicines can severely affect your driving and may be detected in your blood even in small amounts. Always
check
medicine labels and ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to drive.
-
Plan ahead. If you are going to drink alcohol, take medicines that make you drowsy, or you
feel
unwell or exhausted, arrange another way to travel, such as a taxi, public transport or a lift from someone
who is
fit to drive.
These alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive rules are based on Rules 90-96 of the UK Highway
Code,
which cover fitness to drive, alcohol and drugs. Want to see the Highway Code rules?
View the Highway Code alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive rules.
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How alcohol and drugs affect your driving
Alcohol and drugs affect your driving in many dangerous ways. Even if you are under the legal alcohol limit,
your
driving may still be unsafe. As a learner, you should understand how they can change your behaviour and
ability
behind the wheel:
- Slower reactions - it takes longer to notice hazards and respond by braking or
steering.
- Poor coordination - your control over the steering wheel, pedals and gears becomes less
smooth.
- Bad judgement - you may underestimate speed, overtake when it is not safe, or misjudge
gaps at junctions and roundabouts.
- Over-confidence - alcohol and drugs can make you feel more confident and willing to
take risks you would normally avoid.
- Reduced concentration - you may find it harder to focus on mirrors, signs, road
markings and other road users.
- Lingering effects - alcohol and some drugs stay in your body for many hours. You can
still be unfit to drive the morning after drinking or using drugs the night before.
Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive in real driving situations
Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive are not just theory test topics - they affect everyday driving
decisions. You
will use these rules whenever you:
- Plan how to get home after a night out where you may drink alcohol. You should arrange a lift, taxi or
public transport instead of driving.
- Drive early in the morning after drinking the night before and need to consider whether you could still
be over the limit or unfit to drive.
- Take prescription or over-the-counter medicines that can cause drowsiness, dizziness or blurred vision. Always check the label or ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- Feel unwell, stressed or extremely tired before a journey. You may need to delay the trip, share the
driving with someone else or choose another way to travel.
- Drive long distances and must plan regular breaks, food, water and rest to avoid becoming dangerously
tired at the wheel.
In your practical driving test, the examiner will check your eyesight and expect you to be alert, in control
and
able to react safely to hazards. Outside of the test, police and courts take alcohol and drug offences very
seriously. Penalties can include fines, driving bans and even prison.
Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive theory test questions in the DVSA theory test
Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive appear in the multiple-choice part of the DVSA theory test in several
ways.
You may be asked:
- How alcohol or drugs affect your reactions, coordination and judgement when driving.
- What you should do if a medicine label warns you not to drive or operate machinery.
- How tiredness affects your driving and what steps you should take if you begin to feel sleepy at the
wheel.
- What to do if your eyesight no longer meets the required standard for driving.
- What penalties or consequences you could face if you are caught driving over the alcohol limit or under
the influence of drugs.
Explore a sample of the latest DVSA theory test revision questions in Driving Theory 4 All's
theory test questions and
answers
section.
Do I need to know alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive rules for my UK DVSA theory test?
Yes. Alcohol, drugs and fitness to drive are an important part of the UK theory test syllabus for
car,
motorcycle,
HGV / LGV,
PCV and
ADI Part 1 learners. You should know how alcohol and drugs affect driving, and how to make sure you are always fit to
drive.
The best way to learn them is to practise with DVSA-style revision questions and explanations, then test
yourself
with realistic mock theory tests that include questions on alcohol, drugs, tiredness and fitness to drive.
Take a free DVSA practice theory test
Get full DVSA theory test practice with Driving Theory 4 All
Source: Department for Transport (GOV.UK) - The Highway Code. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.