April and May are particularly difficult times for people with allergies in their day-to-day lives. In this article we explain why allergy symptoms can affect driving.
Although times are changing for allergies – the World Health Organization warns that grass allergy is extending to much of the year – the truth is that April to June are the months in which allergy symptoms hit patients hardest. Plants pollinate and those affected suffer the usual symptoms: repeated sneezing, nasal congestion and itching, coughing, watery and itchy eyes, fatigue, drowsiness… In fact, it is expected that by 2050 half the population in our country will suffer from some kind of allergy.
What happens when we drive in these conditions? As well as lack of sleep, caused by pollinosis, the allergic disorder produced by pollen, there are circumstances such as repeated sneezing, which can distract our attention from the road for up to 15 seconds.
Another aspect we need to consider is medication. It goes without saying that self-medication is not advisable, for the simple reason that the components of some antihistamines – not all – have been gradually refined. Today it is possible to take those whose compounds have no effect whatsoever on driving.
Some recommendations
It is not only necessary to avoid self-medication. If we drive every day and are in the middle of the allergy season, we will have to avoid alcohol (as it slows reflexes and contributes to drowsiness); and, at any sign of extreme fatigue, park the vehicle in a safe place and switch off the engine. If we plan our trips, so much the better: the website of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC) shows very clearly the levels of each type of pollen in a specific place. It is very practical!
Vehicle maintenance is another important issue, since if it is clean and we do without carpets and mats, the atmosphere inside the car will be less hostile for us if we suffer from allergies. It is preferable not to use the air conditioning, or to use it on a low setting. But in any case we will need to keep the ventilation ducts clean, with HEPA filters if possible (as they are the most effective against dust and pollen particles).
You should drive with the windows closed and wear suitable sunglasses to keep pollen out, as well as choose routes where there is not much vegetation. The time of day at which we take our vehicle also matters, since pollen concentrations are highest in the early morning and at dusk: specifically from five to 10 in the morning, and from seven to 10 in the evening.