Buzz
Are you driving and feeling motion sickness? Do you feel like you’re about to... vomit? Many drivers never think about what they would do if they suddenly experience motion sickness while behind the wheel. Nausea and vomiting while driving are not just uncomfortable but can also be life-threatening if not addressed properly. If you suffer from chronic motion sickness, nausea from chemotherapy, or other medical conditions and feel like you’re about to throw up, pulling over in time and vomiting safely could save your life.
Steps
Anticipate the Issue
Avoid driving. Motion sickness occurs due to external factors (like being in a car or on a boat) and is typically transmitted from the inner ear, eyes, and other sensory organs, which causes confusion in the brain. This is a common condition. If you are experiencing motion sickness and vomiting, the only way to prevent a dangerous situation is to minimize driving.
- According to the Mayo Clinic, nausea and vomiting are very common among patients with a history of chronic motion sickness. If you feel this issue might occur, you should limit driving during your treatment period.
Take non-drowsy motion sickness medication before driving. If you experience severe motion sickness, consider over-the-counter medications like Dramamine or Meclizine. These medications typically take effect within 30 to 60 minutes. However, be sure to choose a non-drowsy version. Regular Dramamine can have sedative effects, so driving while under its influence can be dangerous!
- Another option is to use anti-nausea medications like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol.
- Always consult with your doctor about the most suitable medication for you. They will be aware of potential side effects and adverse drug interactions.
Keep chewing gum and a vomit bag in your car. Prepare for potential vomiting if it happens often. Keep a vomit bag near the driver's seat, either paper or plastic, and consider covering the seat and/or floor with a plastic liner.
- Chewing gum can also help reduce nausea, so keep mild-flavored gums like Juicy Fruit or Doublemint handy. Not only does chewing help with symptoms, but it also reduces the conflict between vision and the body’s balance.
- Fresh, cool air can help alleviate motion sickness. Keep the window near the driver slightly open or direct the car's air vent toward your face.
Eat ginger before driving. Ginger has long been used to treat nausea, and some studies suggest it’s effective for reducing motion sickness. Try consuming a slice of ginger (250 mg) three times a day if you drive often. Alternatively, you can chew ginger-flavored gum for a combined effect of chewing and the soothing properties of the herb.
- Note that ginger may increase the risk of bleeding, especially if you're taking blood-thinning medications or aspirin. Check with your doctor to ensure ginger supplementation is safe for you.
Drive cautiously and learn the warning signs. If you must drive, do so with care in case you need to pull over quickly. For example, use smaller roads and avoid highways or busy streets where it’s harder to stop or pull off quickly.
- Learn to recognize the signals from your body. If your motion sickness usually starts with a mild headache, which worsens and progresses to nausea and vomiting, be aware of those early signs. Use them as a signal to pull over.
Fight off sudden nausea
Inform your passengers. Let your companions know if you suddenly feel nauseous. They can assist by handing you something to vomit into or taking the wheel if needed. Some people can even improvise by cupping their hands together to form an emergency vomit bag. Although this might seem unpleasant, it’s certainly better than having your car smell from vomiting on your clothes. The important thing is that they are aware of what’s happening and can remain calm.
Carefully pull over to the side of the road. The most important thing is to maintain control of your vehicle and ensure safety for yourself, your passengers, and others on the road. Your clothing is the least of your concerns. If you’re driving at slow speeds, between 16-48 km/h, try to pull over to the shoulder. If you can’t, but there are no cars behind or only a few, slow down gradually, stop, turn on your emergency lights, and vomit.
- Don’t worry about the reactions of motorcyclists in this situation. Stopping on the road at low speed isn’t very dangerous. Open the window and vomit if possible.
- If you can, pull over onto the shoulder. When the first signs of nausea appear, hold on for a few seconds and try to steer carefully and slowly onto the shoulder.
At higher speeds, use your emergency lights. Don’t stop directly in the middle of the road. Drive cautiously and turn on your hazard lights, but be aware that other drivers may not slow down for you.
- Don’t pull into the median strip between highways or expressways. The median is closer to the fastest-moving vehicles and has less space compared to the shoulder.
Only vomit when it's safe to do so. As mentioned, at slower speeds, you can pull over, open the door, and vomit on the sidewalk. However, this can be extremely dangerous if you're on a fast road or highway. Even if you've pulled over, you should minimize exiting the vehicle. Proceed cautiously. After all, vomiting on the floor mats is safer than being hit by another vehicle.
- If you’re driving at high speed and stopping isn’t an option, lift your foot off the gas pedal while preparing to vomit, and keep your foot ready on the brake pedal in case you need to slow down quickly.
Vomit in place. If pulling over isn’t an option, the primary goal is still to maintain control of the vehicle. Don’t turn your head to the side or take your eyes off the road, as this can cause the steering to become erratic. Instead, look straight ahead and vomit into any available container (if you have one) or onto the steering wheel/gear shift or out the front window. You can clean it later.
- If there are no containers available, you can pull your collar down and vomit onto your chest. While unpleasant, this will minimize head movement and ensure your safety.
- Alternatively, vomit directly onto the floor. Vomiting onto the floor or seat is still better than splattering on the dashboard, sound system controls, or climate controls.
Advice
- Clean up any vomit in the vehicle as quickly as possible, especially avoiding direct sunlight. There’s nothing worse than trying to clean a mattress soaked in vomit that’s been sitting in the sun.
- Generally, cleaning vomit off leather seats is much easier than on velvet or carpeted ones.
- Remember, no matter how difficult the situation may be, you must stay calm and focused.
- Vomiting on floor mats isn’t that bad, as you can easily wash them or replace them if necessary.
- If there’s no other option, roll the window down and vomit directly out of it.
- Don’t worry about your clothes! You can wash them later.
Warning
- Driving while severely ill with the flu is extremely risky as you’re putting your life and the lives of others on the road at risk, should you lose control of your vehicle.
- If you feel nauseous while driving, maintaining control of the vehicle becomes the top priority.
- If you experience continuous vomiting, severe illness, or a high fever, head to the nearest hospital immediately for medical care.
Things You Need
- Vomit bag or any suitable container for vomiting
- Water bottle
- Chewing gum
- Paper towels for cleaning up
