The arrival of spring means that days are getting lighter and the weather is slowly starting to warm up but it’s also the time of year that hay fever sufferers dread, especially when faced with the prospect of an unwanted sneezing fit when driving.
To help combat the scourge of hay fever, Ray Pierce, the founder and CEO of Zippy Cash for Cars, has shared several helpful tips drivers can use to alleviate their allergies when behind the wheel.
Prepare your vehicle before you drive
A good tip for any time of the year is to ensure your car is shipshape before you drive.
While in winter this may involve scraping ice off the windshield, in hay fever season throughout spring and summer it may involve a different process.
Pierce recommends investing in pollen filters for your car’s ventilation system to reduce exposure to allergens while driving.
Most, but not all, modern cars are fitted with pollen filters and it’s a good idea to get these changed once a year to ensure they’re offering the best protection according to Auto Advisor
As well as a pollen filter, Pierce says, “You should also regularly clean and vacuum the interior of your car to remove accumulated pollen, dust, and other allergens.”
Enhance in-car air quality
As well as standard pollen filters, Pierce also suggests incorporating additional air-purification measures during hay fever season.
One of these methods is by equipping your car with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.
“Portable air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters can effectively capture pollen particles circulating within the car cabin, providing relief for hay fever sufferers,” Pierce explains.
On top of that, keeping windows closed when the pollen count is high and keeping your air conditioning in recirculation mode can help stop pollen particles from entering your vehicle.
Navigate strategically to minimize allergen exposure
Planning a route that bypasses areas with high pollen counts can also be beneficial.
Avoiding areas such as parks, gardens or tree-lined streets can be a big help in this regard.
Pierce also recommends using pollen forecasts or allergy tracking apps to identify pollen hotspots along your route, giving you the chance to make a detour if required.
Combine a hay fever-free car with medication
One of my own biggest tips for combatting hay fever is to take medication to prevent the flare-up of symptoms.
Pierce also recommends this for hay fever sufferers when driving, saying, “Take antihistamines or nasal sprays directly before embarking on journeys to alleviate symptoms pre-emptively.”
A separate tip this writer has come across but has yet to try is to put Vaseline around your nostrils. This is designed to catch pollen before it has the chance to get into your nose.
Wear sunglasses
Another tip from Ray Pierce was to don a pair of wrap-around sunglasses while driving.
Not only do sunglasses help to shade your eyes from the sun but the lenses can block out some of the pollen that would otherwise have found its way into your eyes.
Have tissues within easy reach
In case of a sudden sneezing fit, having a box or packet of tissues within easy reach is essential.
As well as stopping you from coating the inside of your car in bogeys, having tissues to hand means you won’t have to go searching around in your bag if you feel a sneeze coming on, meaning you’re less likely to be distracted.
Keep water at hand
And finally, the last tip to help combat hay fever when driving is to keep a bottle of water at hand as it can be used to help alleviate symptoms.
If you’re suffering from itchy eyes, you can use the water to wash your face and clear away the pollen from around your eyes. It could also be used to help wash pollen from your mouth if you have a scratchy throat.
Of course, this final tip should also come with the caveat that you shouldn’t do anything to distract yourself while driving. So if you do need to rinse your eyes, pull over in a space spot first.
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