Heavy cold or flu put drivers at greater risk of crashes

Motorists affected by a heavy cold or flu suffer a major loss of concentration when behind the wheel, putting themselves and users at risk, according to research by U.K. insurer Young Marmalade.
Young Marmalade carried out the research in association with Halfords. Using a black ‘telematics’ box, they recorded the speed, braking and cornering of several drivers.
One participant, who had an ‘excellent’ driving rating of 95% when healthy, dropped to 60% when suffering from a cold, a Young Marmalade release said.
The insurer pointed to similar research done at the Cardiff University Common Cold Unit. These researchers found that people suffering from colds and flu suffered from poor reaction times and alertness, putting them at risk of being involved in an accident.
“They were a third more likely to hit the roadside curb,” the Young Marmalade release says.