MILLIONS of motorists, who are prone to seasonal cold or hay fever symptoms, are at increased risk of heavy fines from this weekend.
With hay fever sufferers being warned to brace themselves for a severe ‘pollen bomb’ on Sunday, any affected drivers could face a stiff penalty if they are found to have caused an accident due to sneezing.
Millions of motorists are at risk of a £2,500 fine as pollen bomb set to explode
Although seemingly harmless, almost 8 million motorists could be running the risk of a fine.
The study carried out by Scrap Car Comparison found that nearly 19% of UK drivers are leaving themselves at risk of fines of up to £2,500, due to driving while prone to sneezing from a seasonal cold or hay fever.
Categorised under a ‘driving without due care and attention’ charge, fines can total £2,500 and result in three to nine penalty points, which, if you are a new driver, would result in you having to retake your driving test.
In addition to sneezing, other hay fever-related ailments people regularly admit to driving with, such as drowsiness and runny noses, could also be extremely dangerous if it results in attempted one-handed driving to wipe a runny nose, for example.
The study also looked at medications people have in their system when behind the wheel and discovered that 1 in 10 drivers reported taking medications such as antihistamines while driving.
This could cause side effects such as drowsiness, again leaving motorists at a significantly higher risk of causing an accident.
Two per cent, which accounts for over 800,000 UK drivers, also stated that they are taking types of amphetamine while driving.
Examples such as Dexamphetamine or Selegiline are common medications, but can lead to the user being over the drug driving limit if taken at a higher quantity – making consulting with a GP a must before getting behind the wheel.
Dan Gick, Managing Director at Scrap Car Comparison, said: “Driving while feeling ill can put you at increased risk of having an accident and landing yourself in trouble with the law, so the best advice is to stay at home if you feel any of these symptoms, or if you are taking any medication that could impact your driving ability.
“However, we know that it’s not always that easy, especially if symptoms start whilst you’re already driving. If you start feeling unwell while driving, try to pull over at the earliest possible point when safe to do so.
“This can be a service station if you’re on a motorway, safely on the side of the road, or somewhere such as a car park. Once you’ve parked safely, take some time away from driving, get some fresh air and give yourself time to relax and reassess how you’re feeling.”
“It’s also always important to read the guidance labels on your medications or consult with a GP to find out more about what you’re taking and the activities you should avoid doing whilst taking them.
“If you know you need to drive whilst taking medications that could put you at risk of driving dangerously, consider asking a friend or family member to drive you, or take public transport if your journey is essential.”
This comes after motorists targeted by parking vigilantes have received X-rated warning tickets.