Suffering from the sniffles drops your behind-the-wheel competence as much as a night of boozing, according to a new report.
The small study, conducted by UK-based insurance company Young Marmalade and automotive-retailer Halfords, found that driving with a heavy cold or the flu is the equivalent of driving after throwing back four double whiskeys. (We’re not sure how they measured those shots, but that sounds like a lot.) Either way, it seems like having a cold does a number on your concentration.
Researchers recorded slower reaction times, more frequent sudden braking, and decreased awareness of surrounding traffic among cold-suffering motorists, which they monitored via black boxes placed in cars to track speed, braking, and corner-turning.
Then there are those violent sneezes. A big old achoo in the driver’s seat can be dangerous when it causes you to close your eyes briefly, notes police officer Steve Rounds of the Central Motorway Police Group in a Halfords press release.
Aside from the mental fogginess caused by a cold, certain over-the-counter medications can also make you drowsy, so check the label before you hit the road.
So next time you find yourself coughing and sneezing all over the place do yourself (and the innocent drivers in your area) a favor by asking a friend to give you a ride to wherever it is you need to go so badly when you’re sick. Or better yet, stay home and cozy up with some hot tea. No whiskey, though. At least not four double shots of it. Sorry.
Do you feel like having a bad cold or cough derails your driving skills? Should people stay off the road while under the weather, or do you think the risk is being overblown?
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