Study Links Covid and Poor Driving

A new study links the effects of Covid-19 to higher rates of car crashes. Kea Wilson explains the findings in Streetsblog USA, noting that a recent analysis found a 25 percent increase in crash risk associated with acute Covid-19. The study used state-cataloged test results and measurements of the virus in wastewater to compare the rates of crashes in communities with higher and lower Covid rates.

According to the study, “States that made more efforts to mitigate the virus, like instituting stronger mask mandates, had lower rates of COVID overall, and also lower rates of total crashes.” These results reveal a new, potentially long-term impact of the pandemic. The effects of the virus can impact drivers as much as driving under the influence of alcohol, study author and physician Baran Erdik said.

Although the study has limitations, Erdik says “even the possibility that the virus is making drivers less safe demands systemic action — both to decrease viral transmission and to decrease car dependence.” Erdik suggests that car-dependent places should enact stricter remote work policies for sick workers and improve air filtration in public buildings and transit vehicles. Meanwhile, individual drivers who contract the virus should be mindful of its potential impacts on their cognitive abilities.