Driving in a state where safe driving has become difficult due to the influence of drugs is prohibited by the Road Traffic Act. The newly established Automobile driving casualties Acts Punishment Law allocates heavy punishment when there has been a willful intention to perform dangerous driving in the case of causing death or injury with the recognition that safe driving is difficult due to the influence of the drug. In another section of this law, it is compulsory for a person who has a disease (epilepsy, schizophrenia, etc.) defined by a Cabinet Order to take medicine for treatment. The package insert of these therapeutic agents clearly states that driving during medication is prohibited. When strictly executing these contradictory, cautionary obligations, it leads to the inevitable situation that we have to abandon driving a car. I would like to deepen the discussion on how to deal with this contradictory situation.
<Author's abstract>
Duty of Care Concerning Car Driving and Medication of Patients with Mental Disorders
Mino Clinic
Psychiatria et Neurologia Japonica
119: 493-499, 2017
<Keywords:Road Traffic Act, driver's license disqualification, Automobile driving casualties Acts Punishment Law, information on driving in drug inserts>