Pollen flight Dangerous sneezing attacks at the wheel

Pollen filter against sneezing while driving

03/17/2014

Hay fever can not only lead to the development of asthma in the long term, but also poses immediate dangers. The acute sneezing attacks often cause considerable difficulties for drivers, for example, to keep track and concentrate on traffic. People with a pollen allergy should therefore keep the windows closed while driving and replace the pollen filters for the ventilation system regularly (annually), reports the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB).

According to the DAAB suffer in Germany „around 16 percent of the population suffering from a pollen allergy (hay fever).“ The allergic rhinitis is triggered by the pollen of trees, shrubs, grasses, cereals and herbs. When the pollen comes into contact with the mucous membranes, the allergic patients show symptoms such as watery eyes, itchy eyes, runny nose, a stuffy nose, sneezing attacks and difficulty breathing. In particular, the sneeze carries during driving a not to be underestimated risk. Because the eyes are inevitably closed at short notice. Although usually not more than a second, but this can already lead to fatal situations in traffic. Because at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour, this means that those affected travel around 14 meters without visibility. At 100 kilometers per hour they would drive almost 30 meters almost blind. If the allergy sufferers have to sneeze in succession, considerable distances can quickly come together in which they perceive the events in front of them only to a limited extent.

A fully functional pollen filter is therefore of particular importance for allergy sufferers. In the course of time, however, this will settle with pollen and, according to the DAAB, should therefore be changed at least once a year. A change of the pollen filter can carry out almost any specialist workshop. However, this may not be cheap. Here come on more expensive models quite a few hundred euros together. In order for the pollen filter to fulfill its function, allergy sufferers should keep their windows and any existing sunroofs closed while driving, advises DAAB. Regular cleaning of the vehicle interior, in turn, contributes to minimizing pollutant load while driving. (Fp)

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