If you have spring allergies, you already know that they’re annoying – but you may not realize that they can actually be deadly. According to at least one study, drivers with untreated allergic rhinitis can be just as dangerous on the road as drunk drivers.
Spring allergies may seem like a trivial inconvenience, but their impact on driving safety should not be underestimated – especially since there are millions of sufferers out there on the road at any given time. Here’s why:
1. Sneezing
Most of spring, your car is probably coated in pollen – so it’s no wonder that you find yourself sneezing. Unfortunately, sneezing fits can be unpredictable and rapid, momentarily disrupting your focus and forcing you to take your eyes off the road. If a sneezing fit hits you at the wrong moment, you can easily hit the gas when you meant to hit the brakes, with disastrous results.
2. Vision disruptions
You need to be able to see hazards in the road to respond to them, and that’s not always easy when your eyes are watering, itchy or painfully dry from exposure to allergens. Your “allergy eyes” may also have a harder time with depth perception, which can make it difficult for you to gauge safe distances.
3. Fatigue
Coping with persistent allergies can really wear you down, and the resulting fatigue can cause a certain level of cognitive impairment. You may be suffering from impaired judgment, slower reaction times and poorer decision-making skills, just like someone who is down with a bad virus.
Spring is definitely here – and “allergy season” has already started for many, so take care of yourself – and treat your hay fever when you can. If you end up in a wreck because another driver was sneezing or distracted by their allergies, you have a right to expect fair compensation for your losses.