A new study has found that driving when you have a cold could be as dangerous as driving whilst drunk. Drivers who had a cold were found to have reaction times that were slower than those who had drunk up to four pints of beer. Not only did a cold cause drivers to take longer to stop, it also made them less aware of the danger of a collision and more likely to drive too close to the vehicle in front. Sneezing was also likely to cause an accident as drivers take their eyes off the road for up to three seconds. In the study 50 people with a cold were tested and compared to a group who were not infected. The results showed alertness was reduced by a third in the cold sufferers.
