Drugged at the wheel

WHEN Nick Hines found himself struggling to stay awake at the wheel, all that the following drivers saw was a series of swerves. They probably assumed the 24-year-old from Putney was drunk. In fact, the hay fever sufferer had unwittingly entered a drug-induced haze behind the wheel, a result of taking antihistamine tablets he had bought over the chemists' counter.

Nick realised he was in trouble and he battled against drowsiness but eventually lost control of the car due to the powerful effects of the hay fever tablets.

Nick survived the ordeal and is today one of a number of sufferers helping to launch a major awareness campaign run by the British Allergy Foundation called Drive Against Drowsiness.

The warm weather sends millions of people with hay fever dashing for the medicine cabinet but campaigners warn that more than a third of motorists are still unaware that drug-driving is equally as dangerous as drink-driving.

The Foundation let me try out a braking test at a research centre track in Guildford, to see for myself the potentially devastating effect that a small amount of alcohol - similar in effect to taking over-thecounter drugs - can have.

It's not a difficult test - until the "drugs" begin to take effect.

A red brake light is attached to the bonnet of your car and illuminated at random by a researcher in the passenger seat. Your reaction time is measured down to a split second and, at first, my reactions were sharp. After the small amount of alcohol began to take effect however, my stopping distance lengthened considerably. Apparently, there would have been a similar effect if I had taken the same drugs Nick took that day to cure his runny nose and sore eyes.

The campaign is a timely reminder to hay fever sufferers of the perils of trying to control their ailment with certain antihistamines. As the number of people developing the allergy in our polluted environment increases, so more treatments are offered.

A three-second sneeze on the motorway can result in you hurtling 300 feet along the fast lane with your eyes closed. But according to Muriel Simmons, chief executive of the Foundation, the dangers posed by taking some hay fever antihistamines can be far worse.

"This campaign is to encourage people to be aware of the dangers of driving while taking antihistamines. Just like alcohol, drowsiness can increase the risk of accidents because a high level of alertness is needed.

People understand the effect that alcohol has on their ability to drive and we are looking for this level of awareness when it comes to medications too.

There is currently no legislation restricting intake of legal drugs and driving."

One in five people suffers from hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). Police estimate that antihistamines are involved in approximately two per cent of fatal accidents, or around 70 deaths every year in the UK.

The Foundation points out that the proportion of victims with legal drugs in their systems has also risen, from three to 18 per cent in 11 years. The vague wording on antihistamine packaging, such as "may cause drowsiness", further complicates selecting a drug that will treat symptoms without impairing the senses. Campaigners want hay fever sufferers to discuss non-sedating antihistamine options with their GP and to follow the instructions on the package.

Fellow sufferer Stephanie Harper, 34, from Richmond, admits she ended up taking two or three tablets a day to stop her eyes running, way above the recommended dose. "That made me so tired my work suffered and I was like a zombie. In the end, my GP gave me an antihistamine which didn't make me drowsy."

A steady stream of hay fever sufferers has been enrolled at a specialist centre in Guildford to help scientists establish which drugs are the most useful to motorists - and which are least likely to cause drowsiness.

DR Ziba Shamsi is in charge of assessing various medications at the University of Surrey's Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit.

"The current generation of antihistamines is described as non- sedating but that is only true if they are taken at the recommended dose. It's very easy to exceed that dose, especially if the symptoms are chronic, and this can lead to tiredness and reduced ability to carry out daily tasks," she says.

The research unit has a number of tests designed to assess the effect of antihistamine remedies on patients. They monitor a person's reaction time and how alert the "sufferer" would be behind the wheel.

Apart from the brake test, helpers sit at a computer and use the cursor to "chase" a dot around the screen.

When a separate symbol flashes in each corner of the display, they then have to click the mouse button as quickly as possible. Each test can last for up to 15 minutes and take place up to six times a day.

Dr Shamsi adds: "People don't think antihistamines are dangerous because they buy them over the counter. With many treatments this is true, but it's the other way round with antihistamines - they are potentially more dangerous to drivers than most other drugs."

HAY FEVER FACTS

Hay fever is an allergy which causes the linings of the nose and eyes to become irritated. It is triggered by the release of plant spores into the air.

lTrees start releasing pollen in February, making the hay fever season longer than most people think.

lBuying treatment from the chemist won't necessarily save money as prescription drugs are often better value and more effective.

* In a recent survey, approximately half a million drivers claimed to have driven after taking medicines likely to cause drowsiness.

* Fifteen per cent of drivers admitted to having fallen asleep at the wheel, 60 per cent said they had set off on a journey already tired.

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