Hay fever 'a danger to motorists'

The number of times hay fever sufferers have caused accidents on Britain's roads will make yours eyes water.

A survey by insurance company esure found as many as 7% of motorists have had an accident, a near miss or have temporarily lost control of their car while sneezing at the wheel. And the study found that accidents can sometimes happen when drivers become distracted by passengers sneezing, thereby pushing up their insurance premium.

The survey revealed 72% of motorists can be affected by hay fever symptoms, with a fifth of these taking their hands off the wheel when sneezing and half closing their eyes while having a sneezing fit.

Dust on the dashboard, perfume and in-car air fresheners can trigger hay fever as well as pollen, said esure.

Professor Brian Lipworth, professor of allergy and respiratory medicine at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, said: "Hay fever sufferers can sneeze up to 50 times per day when they are affected by it - meaning that it's not unlikely for a sneezing fit to happen while driving.

"When you think that sneezing once while driving at 70mph could mean travelling almost 300ft with your eyes closed, it's clear that this is a very dangerous issue that could potentially lead to a fatal accident."

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