Pollen warnings issued as hay fever sufferers ‘face £ 5,000 fines’ for driving on medication

Met Office forecasters have confirmed a “very high” pollen count – with hay fever sufferers being warned they could face fines of up to £ 5,000 for driving under the influence of drugs.

Levels of the substance have risen across much of the UK, with meteorologists warning of “bad news” for allergy sufferers in the coming days.

Grass pollen hits second peak, and parts of the country are experiencing very high levels, reports Echo of Liverpool.

The Met Office has now introduced a daily pollen forecast for the entire country and its most recent map shows levels will stay fairly high throughout the week.

Areas like London, South East and South West, Midlands, North East and North West have been hit very hard, especially from weed pollen types like nettle.

Tweeting pollen levels on Wednesday and Thursday, the Met Office said: “It’s still bad news for hay fever sufferers with high or very high #pollen levels in most places over the years. next days.”

It comes as auto insurance experts have warned that the Road Traffic Act does not distinguish between illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter drugs.

You could even face a drug driving conviction after taking certain hay fever pills, reports LeicestershireLive.

Alex Kindred of Confused.com said, “The pollen count is high, so many motorists will desperately rely on antihistamines to ward off hay fever symptoms.

“But it’s important to make sure our medications aren’t drowsy, or you could be fined or banned from driving, for taking certain medications that affect your ability to drive.”

He added, “Our research found that over half (58%) of motorists with hay fever drove after taking antihistamines.

“And about 10 percent of them said they felt the effects of the drug while driving.”

Joel Kempson, an auto insurance expert at Uswitch, said: “Some allergy medications can cause side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness and confusion.

“A drug driving conviction can cost up to £ 5,000 and have points added to your license.”