Can You Drive With a Cold or The Flu?
23 January 2025 | 
Graeme Stoker
Feeling under the weather with a cold or flu? While you might prefer to curl up with a hot lemon and honey, life doesn’t always pause for illness. Whether it’s work, school drop-offs, or essential errands, sometimes leaving the house is unavoidable. But is it safe—or even legal—to drive when you’re unwell?
If you’ve ever wondered how ill is too ill to drive, this guide covers the risks (both legal and practical) and how temporary car insurance can help if someone else needs to take the wheel.
Should You Drive When Ill?
In short, you should always avoid driving when you’re unwell. While being off your game in the office is one thing, getting behind the wheel while ill can endanger both you and others on the road.
Adults typically catch 2-4 colds a year, and some can take weeks to recover from. Whether it’s a work meeting, a school event, or a doctor’s appointment, it’s tempting to drive despite symptoms. However, knowing when to say “no” is vital to your safety and that of others.
Common cold and flu symptoms like drowsiness, coughing fits, fever and sneezing can significantly impair your driving ability. Let’s look at the specific risks involved.
What Are the Risks of Driving When Ill?
Even mild illnesses can significantly impact your ability to drive safely. Research by the European Road Safety Observatory suggests a likely correlation between fatigue and crash risk, while the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimated that approximately 1,300 collisions in 2022 involved driver fatigue, and that 6% of all fatal accidents are due to illness. Although not all fatigue is illness-related, having the flu can leave you feeling far from your best—a risky state to be in when considering getting behind the wheel.
Illness-related impairments can contribute to collisions, so it’s important to think carefully before driving if you’re unwell. Potential risks include:
- Slower Reaction Times: Illness can delay your ability to respond quickly to hazards.
- Reduced Concentration: Symptoms like headaches, fever, and sinus pain make it harder to stay focused.
- Impaired Decision-Making: Feeling under the weather can cloud your judgement.
- Fatigue: Extreme tiredness can make safe driving nearly impossible.
- Sneezing Fits: Closing your eyes to sneeze is involuntary but dangerous, potentially causing swerves or loss of control.
- Medication Side Effects: Cold remedies can cause drowsiness, dizziness, or blurred vision, further impairing your driving ability.
Is it Illegal to Drive With a Cold or Flu?
Driving while ill isn’t a criminal offence, but it can result in serious consequences if your symptoms cause an accident. There are many causes of driving fines, having a cold could lead to some too…
- Sneezing-Related Accidents: Losing control due to sneezing could result in fines up to £2,500, 9 penalty points, or even a driving ban.
- Dangerous Driving: If you’re found to be driving dangerously due to fatigue or anything else illness related and you cause an incident it could lead to:
- Unlimited fines
- Up to 11 penalty points
- A driving ban
- Prison sentences of up to 14 years for severe cases
- Drug Driving: Driving impaired by over-the-counter or prescribed medications carries severe penalties, including:
- Unlimited fines
- A minimum 1-year driving ban
- Up to 6 months in prison
- A conviction on your licence for 11 years
While there isn’t a specific law prohibiting driving when you’re unwell, it’s crucial to assess whether your abilities are impaired. If they are, the risks simply aren’t worth it, and you should avoid getting behind the wheel.
How Cold & Flu Medicines Could Impact Your Driving
Common cold and flu medications often come with side effects that can impair your ability to drive safely, you always need to check the label before getting behind the wheel, otherwise you could experience:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
If you are dealing with any of the above, then you really shouldn’t be driving, you could cause a serious accident.
If you’re taking prescribed drugs like Codeine, Morphine, Diazepam, or similar, always consult your doctor about whether it’s safe to drive, as these could also impair your reaction times.
Too Ill to Drive? Here’s What to Do
If you’re unwell and unfit to drive but need supplies or to get from a to b, there are some alternatives you can consider:
- Temporary Car Insurance: Let someone else take the wheel when you can’t. You can easily lend your car to someone in your household, a friend, or a family member. If someone is willing to help but doesn’t have their own car, temporary car insurance provides a quick and convenient solution. It allows them to drive your car legally and safely for as little as an hour, making it an easy option when you need a helping hand.
- Taxis: You could book a taxi to take you where you need to go, however, you should be considerate about putting the driver at risk of catching your cold. Wear a mask and keep the window open to prevent the spread of germs.
- Delivery: If you’re in desperate need of supplies and you know getting behind the wheel or getting in a cab isn’t an option, you could always opt to get the essentials delivered.
Temporary insurance allows someone else to use your car legally and safely, giving you the chance to rest in the passenger seat—or stay home entirely.
Knowing the difference between driving with mild symptoms and endangering yourself and others is crucial. Don’t let illness jeopardise your safety or legal standing. If needed, secure temporary cover for someone else to take the wheel. Get a quote today, and take care of yourself—your health and safety come first.
