When thinking about driving health risks, car accidents and injuries are what most people envision, but there are many more. Perhaps now that electric vehicle ownership is surging, air pollution is joining the list of potential health risks. Today, we do more multitasking behind the wheel that ever before, as everyone is stressed for time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Drivers eat in their cars, talk, text, and email on their cellphones, some even open their mail while waiting at a red light. Some people are busy applying their makeup while stuck in traffic, referee between arguing siblings on the way to school, not to mention fiddling with the radio and navigation apps while driving.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Hazardous health risks to driving<\/span><\/strong> But there are less talked about health risks connected to driving. These include air pollution, noise pollution, as well as increases in anxiety, stress, and blood pressure levels, and chronic lower back and knee pain. Some studies have shown that\u00a0stress and anxiety\u00a0caused by excessive time spent in vehicles actually lowers our job and life satisfaction and can increase depression\u00a0risk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 2019, distracted driving was a reported factor in 8.5% of fatal motor vehicle crashes<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The behaviors listed above are all considered distractive driving, which is a growing culprit in car accidents and fatalities on the road. In fact, according to the CDC, distracted driving claims nine lives every day \u2013 or 3,500 fatalities a year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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