With hay fever season kicking off in May, Ford Ireland is highlighting the dangerous effects of sneezing while driving. 

At a speed of 95 kmh (60 mph), a sneeze could cause a driver to drive blind for up to 20 metres.

Thankfully, car manufacturers have tackled this problem head on by providing better air filters in cars and Ford says that tests have shown that the new air filtration system in the all new Ford Mondeo can block 99 percent of pollen particles from entering into the car.

The fruit of nearly eight years of development at Ford’s European Research Centre in Aachen, Germany, the new Ford air filter is constructed from activated charcoal, similar to what is found in spacesuits, advanced gas masks and respirators, and is 50% more effective than its predecessor at blocking ultra-fine particles. The air quality sensor in the car can detect carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels outside the car and shuts down incoming air blocking 99% of pollen and almost all nitrogen dioxide (a key trigger of asthma), gaseous pollutants and odours.

Almost a quarter of Europeans* suffer from hay fever, exposing this large cohort to a dangerous sneeze attack when behind the wheel of a car. **Research has identified that a hay fever attack while driving, may impair the affected driver to a degree that is comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.04 per cent, close to the legal limit in most European countries.  ***Hay fever sufferers are a third more likely to be involved in a collision.

“The new filter is 50 per cent more effective than its predecessor at blocking ultra-fine particles that are less than one thousandth of the width of a human hair,” says Ciaràn McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland.  “Reducing exposure to pollen offers significant safety benefits as well as increased comfort and brings with it a quality driving experience for all drivers and relief for hay fever and asthma sufferers”,