Because most of us drive every day it’s easy to see driving as something relatively safe and secure. Outside of the risk of having an accident, driving is just sitting down, so how can it be dangerous? There are however several health risks that are associated with driving. Read on to find out if you’re at risk…

1.     Stress

Driving can be stressful, particularly if you’re easily angered. Those that suffer from road rage are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. If you can’t handle stress, or are easily angered, you might find it beneficial to drive when roads are quieter and to avoid rush hours wherever possible. Driving angry is just not a good idea.

2.     Vision Related Problems

Drivers who drive for long periods of time, especially those who drive at night, are at risk of developing  temporary vision problems, including blurriness of eyesight and night blindness. It is recommended that you take a break from driving every couple of hours in order to reduce the strain on your eyes. As with sitting in front of a computer, anything that requires you to focus your eyes in more or less the same position for long periods of time can result in eye strain.

3.     Back Problems

Sitting in a bad position will effect your back and worsen any existing problems. It is very important that you adjust your driving seat correctly, both for height, distance from the steering wheel and pedals, and angle, in order to correctly support your back. Taking the time to adjust your seat before you leave can save you a lot of aches and pains. This is particularly important if you’re going to be driving long distances.

4.     Neck Problems

This is closely related to back problems, in that keeping your back unsupported can lead to having a bad neck position and therefore neck pains. It is important that your seat is correctly adjusted to support your back and in turn your neck. It is also important that your head rest is adjusted correctly to support your neck, and to help prevent whiplash in the event of an accident.

5.     Nutrition and Physical Fitness Problems

This is of special concern to drivers whose employment depends on driving, such as taxi drivers, lorry drivers, long distance salesmen and the like. If you spend the majority of tie in your car, there is a high chance that you are not getting the appropriate amount of physical exercise that is recommended by doctors. This leads to obesity and its connected health problems, as well as to poor circulation, heart health and joint pain.

People who drive long distances rarely have enough to drink in an effort to reduce toilet breaks. This causes dehydrations, which affects your mood immediately and your kidneys over time.

It is important that you take time out of your sedentary schedule in order to keep relatively fit. This means exercising for a minimum of three hours weekly. On top of this, there are nutritional issues for long term drivers who tend to eat at fast food at service stops, or who eat on the go. It is very important that you maintain a balanced diet in order to supply your body with the appropriate nutrition that it needs. Inadequate nutrition is linked to obesity, heart problems, blood pressure issues and many other conditions, including being linked to cancer and stroke risks.

Even being out on the road is no excuse for poor health habits. Having a job that keeps you sitting down for long periods of time significantly increases your risk of health problems, and should be compensated for by maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet and a rigorous exercise schedule in order to offset the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Phil Turner knows what it is like tohave to drive 14 hours a day as part of his job, He is retired now and drives a car rather than a van. recently Phil had to renew his insurance and the car insurance quote he was given was a very pleasant surprise, apparently he is now a lower risk so pays lower insurance premiums.

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