Are you driving a car while you have a bad cold? Maybe a bout of flu? You might as well be driving drunk, according to a new study conducted by Young Marmalade, a UK-based car insurance company, and Cardiff University in Wales.
Motor safety experts found that the driving skills of people who were sick were estimated to drop by about 50 percent when compared with those who were healthy. They were more likely to have reduced reaction time and experience a major loss of concentration, so much so that the researchers compared people who were driving under the weather to people who were driving under the influence of “four double whiskeys.”
“This small-scale trial provides a warning for motorists,” Nigel Lacy, director of marketing for Young Marmalade, said in a statement. ” A heavy cold can impair a driver’s mood, concentration and judgment.”
Young Marmalade did not provide the full study despite an ABC News request, nor did Cardiff University, so the full details on the research remain undisclosed. And because of the lack of details, experts noted that it is difficult to discuss the findings in their entirety.
“As a physician with a master’s degree in epidemiology, I wonder about the impact of problems,” said Dr. Martin Bittner, staff physician in the department of infectious disease at the VA Hospital in Omaha, Neb. ”Are we dealing with something that occurs commonly? Or is it rare? Those questions, the [release] points out, lack answers.”
via abcnews.go.com
Out of England comes a report claiming that a driver suffering from the common cold is as bad as one who is intoxicated. I checked out Young Marmalade's Web site and did not find any reference to this study, and it appears that ABC News had no better luck, so it's hard to judge the validity of this claim. On its face, it makes some sense: Whenever I've had a bad sneeze behind the wheel, I've always been grateful that it didn't come when other cars or pedestrians were nearby. Still -- as dangerous as drunk driving?
What do you think -- should insurance companies ask about an insured's Nyquil consumption, or check vehicles for the presence of an excess of somewhat-used tissues? Or are the report's conclusions exaggerated? Pour yourself a hot bowl of chicken soup and sound off in the comments.
It's not quite the same as driving while drunk, but there is a similarity in essence. When we're sick, our body and mind won't function as well as compared to our usual selves. That's a factor that can be a pretty big risk when you're out making decisions on the road. For the sake of your health and your car, it's best to not risk driving when you should be resting.
Posted by: Carson Wininger | May 01, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Carson,
Good points. Thanks for posting!
Tim
Posted by: Tim Dodge | May 01, 2012 at 01:17 PM
Yes, I agree with you. It's really interesting topic regarding driving. I like to go on long drive. I always prefer long run to do some adventure.
Posted by: Rubber Silicone Watches | December 22, 2012 at 07:49 AM