Driving With Allergies Is Dangerous — Here’s How To Allergy-Proof Your Truck

You may think that driving with a constant sneeze or itchy eyes caused by seasonal allergies is no big deal, but a study on how your allergies affect driving ability might make you change your mind.

A surprising study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands found that driving with allergy symptoms makes your skills behind the wheel comparable to someone with a 0.03% BAC. Said one researcher, “They just weren’t performing well. Their reaction times were not good. People lose their sense of concentration because they don’t feel well and underlying allergy problems.”

So not only is driving with allergies uncomfortable, it could also contribute to a crash.

Easy Allergy Solutions For Truck Drivers

The best solution is to work with a doctor to get your allergy symptoms under control with either over the counter or prescription medication, but there are some things that you can do to keep allergens within your truck to a minimum.

1. Keep your windows rolled up as much as possible when the pollen count is high. It’s unbelievable how much pollen can make its way into your truck when you keep the windows open, and once it’s in there, it can be hard to remove.
2. Clean any carpeting or upholstery in your truck. Damp carpet or upholstery is a good breeding ground for mold spores — another major cause of allergies for many people.
3. Skip air fresheners. Many contain chemicals that can irritate nasal passages and make your allergies worse.
4. Wipe down the inside surfaces of your truck frequently. This keeps allergy inducing dust and pollen from accumulating in your truck.
5. Switch out your floor mats. If you have carpeted or cloth floor mats, consider switching to plastic, which won’t retain as much moisture.
6. Don’t keep trash in your truck. When you’re busy, it’s easy to let food and beverage containers pile up, but letting trash accumulate in your truck can contribute to allergy symptoms.

Sources:
The Wall Street Journal
WBIR
How Stuff Works
Precision Tune