For Texas’ allergy sufferers, driving with hay fever could , according to a new study.
In Texas alone, hay fever symptoms were associated with more than two-thirds of vehicle crashes, according to an analysis by Nextbase, a British company specializing in car safety accessories.
“Drivers can experience severe symptoms such as itchy eyes or even allergic conjunctivitis while on the road, which could hinder their ability to stay focused and potentially cause an accident,” Nextbase Head of Road Safety Bryn Brooker said in a statement.
Nextbase also found roughly 67 percent, or 11,807, of Texas accidents occurred during the long hay fever season, when symptoms are most intense. Nextbase examined five years’ worth of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2016 to 2020 to come up with its findings.
In comparison, one in three vehicle U.S. crashes occurs during the average peak months for pollen count.
A separate study referenced by Nextbase, found the impairment caused by hay fever symptoms was comparable to having a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. For reference, the legal limit for driving in Texas is 0.08%.
Individuals suffering from hay fever tend to perform poorly on memory tasks compared to those who receive treatment for their symptoms, the study also said.
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This article appears in May 3-16, 2023.