Lung health

With thanks to Emma Rubach, Head of Health Advice, Asthma + Lung UK  

Over 12 million people in this country will develop a lung condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), over their lifetime – and many of them will be drivers.   

This section is about the everyday triggers that exist for people with lung conditions and how they can mitigate these risks.  

Whether it's in a vehicle, at work or at home, many triggers exist for people with lung conditions. The UK has the worst death rate in Europe for lung conditions, and it's no coincidence that we also have one of the highest rates of childhood asthma here too.   

Air pollution affects us all. This invisible killer contributes to the early deaths of up to 43,000 people in the UK. Breathing dirty air is a major contributor to life-threatening respiratory conditions – being exposed to air pollution over a long period is linked to developing lung cancer, COPD and asthma. From diabetes to dementia, there is a growing list of health impacts associated with our everyday exposure to air pollution.  

Toxic emissions from vehicles are one of the main sources of air pollution in the UK. However, a lesser-known fact is that we are also exposed to air pollution inside our vehicles too. Several studies have found that air pollution exposure can be higher inside your vehicle than outside. And these harmful fumes can irritate our lungs.  

Drivers should try to move away from vehicles when taking breaks, to pedestrianised or more remote locations to minimise the emissions they inhale. 

Smoking also has a devastating effect on lung condition. Recent data shows it can shorten your life by almost ten years. 

Effect on road safety 

Any episode in which breathing is compromised while driving can also affect driver performance and safety. 

Coughing usually causes the eyes to reflexively close, which is dangerous when controlling a moving vehicle. If a driver starts to cough or sneeze, they should pull over as soon as is safe. 

Hay fever can be a trigger for asthma and other lung conditions. Hay fever medications can cause drowsiness, so should always be checked with a pharmacist for compatibility with driving. 

What employers can do 

  • Ensure that drivers understand the dangers of driving with a respiratory tract infection, which will not only make them feel unwell, but may give rise to coughing, sneezing and eye watering. This includes colds and flus. 
  • Ban smoking within vehicles. Encourage smoking cessation in all drivers. Individuals are around three times more likely to quit by using specialist help, such as a local stop smoking service and stop smoking treatments like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), together. It is never too late to stop smoking and improve health. 
  • Encourage healthy eating and regular physical activity. Regular movement, especially for people who drive a lot daily, is good for the lungs – it increases the strength of the muscles surrounding the lungs and, as they get stronger, those muscles need less oxygen to work thus making it easier to breathe. 
  • Conduct a rigorous risk assessment to understand what can harm drivers at work, including diesel fumes and particulates, and how to control those risks. 
  • Specify the lowest-emission vehicles possible for your operation; this will help to protect drivers from air pollution from their own vehicle and also help protect the communities your vehicles travel through. 
  • Establish a just culture with psychological safety so that drivers can report concerns for proper consideration. 

To support workers with lung conditions ensure that: 

  • first aiders understand how to aid a colleague who has a breathing-related episode. 
  • drivers follow their treatment plan and keep appropriate medicines and relievers with them – and that those medications are all compatible with driving. 
  • Managers and colleagues understand what an affected person’s triggers are and what to do in an emergency.  

Resources