Mental health flagged as hidden road safety risk

South Africans are being urged to recognise the impact of mental health on driving ability, as experts warn that psychological conditions and the medications used to treat them can impair judgment, reaction times and overall road safety.

According to Arrive Alive, mental health plays a crucial yet often overlooked role in determining driver fitness. While most discussions on safe driving focus on physical fitness or alcohol use, conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can also significantly affect concentration, perception and motor skills behind the wheel.

Research cited by the road safety platform highlights that drivers suffering from severe mental illness or those experiencing acute psychotic or depressive episodes face a higher risk of crashes. In a Mercedes-Benz study, one in five van drivers described their mental health as poor, underscoring how stress and fatigue in high-pressure jobs can lead to unsafe driving behaviour.

Mental health medications can also impact safety. Psychotropic drugs, used to treat depression, anxiety and other disorders, may cause side effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, or impaired coordination, particularly when doses are changed or treatment begins. Drivers are advised to avoid getting behind the wheel until such side effects subside.

Medical practitioners are encouraged to assess each patient individually before declaring them fit to drive. The Arrive Alive campaign notes that mental illness alone should not automatically disqualify someone from driving, but untreated or poorly managed conditions can increase risks for both the driver and others on the road.

The organisation is also calling on fleet managers and transport operators to pay greater attention to the mental wellbeing of professional drivers. Long hours, isolation and high stress contribute to anxiety, depression and fatigue among truck and bus drivers, often leading to avoidable road incidents.

Creating a workplace culture that prioritises mental health, offering access to counselling and training managers to recognise early signs of distress can go a long way toward improving road safety outcomes.

“Driver wellness is about more than physical fitness,” Arrive Alive said. “A healthy state of mind is as important as a well-maintained vehicle. When we look after the mental health of our drivers, we help make the roads safer for everyone.”