Driver Fitness, Alcohol, Drugs and Fatigue
Fitness to drive combines medical, legal and behavioural standards. Bulgarian law applies a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol for drivers, with any detectable blood alcohol content treated as an offence; novice and professional drivers face the strictest enforcement. Drugs and impairing medicines are equally prohibited. Candidates should know that alcohol slows reaction time, narrows attention and creates false confidence, and that coffee, cold air or a shower do not speed elimination. Only time clears alcohol.
Medical conditions that must be declared include epilepsy, severe diabetes, significant visual defects and certain cardiac conditions. Corrected vision must meet the standard, and glasses or lenses must be worn if the licence carries that condition. Fatigue is a major killer: symptoms include yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting, missed signs and difficulty holding lane position. The correct response is to stop in a safe place and rest, not to open a window or turn up music.
Medicines carry pictograms warning against driving; a pharmacist's advice should be sought. Illness, exhaustion and emotional stress all reduce fitness even when no substance is involved.
Rule of thumb: if you would not trust yourself to perform a precise manoeuvre right now, you are not fit to drive. Stop, rest, or find another driver.
Worked example: a driver feels sleepy on a motorway. The right action is to leave at the next exit or service area and sleep, because stimulation techniques only mask fatigue briefly.