Avoiding a car crash - when it doesn't make sense to drive

There are many situations where, finding ourselves slightly under the weather, we drive when perhaps we shouldn't. In such situations we risk not only a car crash and personal injury but also put ourselves in jeopardy of facing a no win, no fee claim.

While it might seem like excessively cautious advice, it is well worth remembering that even the slightest illness or ailment can be a significant factor in causing a car crash.

We thought it a good idea to compile a list of the kinds of common ailment that, when not taken seriously enough, may cause a car crash.

Cramp
Cramp can occur in a driver for any number of reasons. It might be that your muscles are tired from driving, it could be that you're dehydrated, you may have underlining health and fitness problems or, possibly, you may have overworked your muscles while playing sport.

If a muscle spasms during an episode of cramping it may cause you to drive erratically or even involuntarily put pressure on one of the driving pedals.

Cramp in the calf is very common among drivers and has been known to be the root cause of several no win, no fee claims in the past.

If you feel cramp occurring while you are driving, make it your mission to pull over as soon as possible, stretch and massage any affected muscles and make sure you drink plenty of fluids before returning to the road.

Headache
Headaches can affect not only our comfort but also our ability to concentrate and driving with one certainly risks causing a car crash.

Since headaches can manifest themselves with varying levels of intensity, only one thing can be said with certainty; if you worry that the headache might negatively affect your driving, don't risk a car crash.

It is important that a person never drives when suffering from one of the more severe types of headache. Driving should always be avoided by anyone suffering from a migraine, ice-pick headache or cluster headache.

Head cold
If you are heavily congested, periodically coughing and sneezing, or just feeling groggy, then it may not be a good idea to drive.

It may sound trivial, but, at an inopportune moment, a cough or a sneeze have the potential to cause a serious car accident.

For just that briefest of seconds, a driver's ability to be perceptive and responsive to changing traffic can be taken away, with the potential for catastrophic consequences.

In addition, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that a head cold adversely affects response times in a driver. So, if in doubt, don't go out.

Depression
There is a lot of data detailing the effects of depression on cognition. The evidence is pretty conclusive; depression can have a negative impact on our basic cognitive abilities.

This is why it is important that you do not drive if you are concerned that your depression is slowing you down. The last thing a person in a depressed state wishes to face is a car crash compensation claim.

Medication
A large number of different medications, including some for treating cramp, depression, headaches and head colds can make the patient drowsy and slow to respond to stimuli.

When taking medication, always consult your doctor and check the accompanying pamphlet to ensure it will not affect your driving.

Making a no win, no fee claim for car crash compensation
If you have suffered personal injuries in a car accident that was not your fault, you should be entitled to claim compensation.

YouClaim's personal injury panel is comprised of some of the leading no win, no fee solicitors in the UK.

Their services are available to you at absolutely no cost. Win or lose, we guarantee that you will never be charged a single penny for our services.

In addition, you will be protected from all costs incurred by the other side.

You can also rest assured that we never take a cut from any of our client's compensation meaning you get to keep 100% of all money awarded to you.

To begin your car crash claim today, simply call 0800 10 757 95.

Alternatively you may wish to request a call back for a convenient time, fill out an online claim form or discuss your claim with a legal advisor using e-chat.