Health Hazards of Driving

Driving a car is a convenient way to get around, and usually preferable to public transport, but it can also be detrimental to your health in many ways. Read on to find out the health hazards of driving, and what you can do to prevent them.

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Stress - Driving can be stressful, especially if you are late or if there is heavy traffic. This stress can harm your health by increasing your blood pressure and putting you at risk for heart disease in the long term. Studies have shown that when people are stressed because they are late or there is heavy traffic, men react aggressively, driving rashly in order to reach faster, while women are more passive.?

Road rage - Over the years, the roads in Indian cities have gotten terribly clogged, with people having to sit through massive traffic jams several times a day. This, combined with the poor condition of the roads, frustrates and angers people. This road rage is detrimental to both, others¡¯ health and their own, and it often spills over to the other parts of their lives.

Distractions - Driving can get boring, and people tend to seek companionship to keep themselves entertained. While talking to a companion is a low-risk distraction, texting or talking on one¡¯s mobile phone is extremely dangerous, posing the same amount of risk as drunk driving. Even using hands-free devices to make calls is harmful, since your attention tends to be more on the call than the road.

How to avoid distractions: If you have a companion next to you, talk to them but make sure you stay focused on the road. If you are alone in the car, do not text or make calls, since those divert your attention entirely.?

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Source: Health Me Up

Also see:?15 Things You Shouldn¡¯t Put in the Fridge