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What does the Highway code say about sneezing while driving?

If you’re on the motorway and sneeze you could blindly travel several metres while you recompose yourself.

The Highway Code states that you must not drive “without due care and attention” and if you break this rule you can land yourself a fine or points on your license.

According to Your Red Car, this can include sneezing at the wheel which is a common symptom of hay fever.

Denton Brock, head of Your Red Car has come up with five ways to prevent hay fever sneezing fits:

• Clean your car regularly
• Park your car in a garage
• Keep your windows closed
• Put extra clothes in a bag
• Change air filters

How much can I be fined for sneezing while driving?

If you have a crash while sneezing, police could claim you were driving without due care and attention. That carries a fine of up to £2,500.

The fine will be determined by the traffic officer or the court.

Can I get penalty points on my license for sneezing while driving?

You can land yourself between three and nine penalty points depending on how severe the case is.

Police will take an especially dim view if you’re driving with a visible cold: red eyes, streaming nose and a chesty cough.

Plus, if you’re on tablets you could be leaving yourself open to a drug-driving charge – depending on medication.

That’s especially important to know for anyone on hay fever meds as the punishment for this is a minimum one year driving ban and unlimited fine.

But if the sneezing fit is completely unexpected and unrelated to an illness then you could use it as a defence.

Laura Newton, motoring law expert at Rothera Sharp, said sneezing is definitely not a get out of jail free card as the defence can be hard to prove.

It falls under “automatism” rules and it’s the same as if you’re unexpectedly blinded by sunlight or a bee enters the car and causes you to thrash around.

Newton said: “It’s actually quite uncommon as in a lot of cases there’s a precursor to it – like having a heavy cold or taking medication.

“But if it’s genuinely debilitating and the reaction is so instant you lose control then you have a case. “Plus you need to show your reaction to whatever happened was reasonable to what a competent driver would do – like trying to slow down straight away, taking yourself out of a dangerous situation and trying to mitigate it as much as possible.”

Try Optrex ActiMist Double Action Spray Itchy Watery Eyes, £13.75. Boots Allergy Eye Mist, 10ml, £9.99, is suitable for all types of contact lenses too.

2. Cetirizine Allergy & Hay Fever Tablets

Products containing Cetirizine work to combat allergies without making you feel tired.

Superdrug’s pack of 30 tablets comes in at £5.45.

3. Hay Fever Relief Nasal Spray

For over-the-counter relief you could try Pirinase Allergy Relief Nasal Spray for Adults x 60 Sprays from Superdrug, £8.39.

Or for something on prescription, try Beclometasone Nasal Spray from ChemistClick, £5.49.

4. Vaseline

Dabbing a little bit of petroleum jelly around the edges of your nose works as a barrier to trap pollen before you breathe it in.

Try branded balms such as Haymax pure organic drug-free pollen barrier balm 5ml, £8.49. Or petroleum jelly such as Vaseline does just the same job for only a fraction of the price.

5. The Eye Doctor Allergy Hay Fever Compress

The Eye Doctor Allergy Hay Fever Compress has thermal dynamic fabric, which uses regulated evaporation to cool more rapidly.

It helps to reduce puffiness, swelling, itching, inflammation and even headaches, and comes with an adjustable comfy strap.

You can buy it at Superdrug for £8.99.

6. Throat spray

Ultra Chloraseptic Anaesthetic Throat Spray contains the active ingredient benzocaine which belongs to the group of medicines called local anaesthetics.

You can buy Ultra Chloraseptic Anaesthetic Throat Spray for £6 from Amazon.