In an astonishing remark by police officer Steve Rounds, he warns that drivers getting behind the wheel while suffering from a heavy cold could be prosecuted. The reasoning behind this statement is actually substantiated by the work of Cardiff University Common Cold Unit. Their work has shown that people who are ailing from illness such as the common cold or flu are much more likely to cause an accident. In fact, studies with a telematics ‘black box’ by the insurance company Young Marmalade have shown that driving while you are sick affects your reaction time and is actually equivalent to drinking 4 double whiskeys. With results like this it’s no wonder police would prosecute for driving while ill. One side effect of the common cold, the sneeze, is even shown to be a perpetrator for erratic driving and it is suspected to even be a factor in accidents by many insurance companies. The article contains quotes and evidence to back up these claims and the information, however startling, could prove quite useful to drivers.
Read the full article here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8991755/Motorists-with-heavy-colds-as-bad-as-drink-drivers.html