More than seven million travellers admit that they have suffered car sickness or nausea as a result of being a passenger or driver in a car says a new report.

The research from the RAC shows that almost one in five people (18%) are suffering from the problem, with the back seat of the car appearing to the worst place to sit in a vehicle, with 75% of those affected saying that is the main place for feeling ill. Twelve per cent believe that the front seat is the worst, whilst seven per cent admit that there is no real pattern to their sickness.

“While people suffer from sickness to different degrees, there is a lot passengers in particular can do to reduce the chances of feeling unwell while on the move,” said RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis. “Top of the list has to be cutting out reading a book or browsing a phone or tablet while a car is in motion, and using the well-known technique of looking out of the window and fixing on the horizon can be very effective in alleviating a sick feeling. But improving the in-car environment by ensuring plenty of fresh, and ideally cooling air is flowing can also help enormously – especially for people who sit in the rear seats on a long journey.

“A smoother driving style can also pay dividends – even if a driver doesn’t suffer sickness themselves, they could suffer some unfortunate consequences if they cause any of their passengers to become unwell simply because they are accelerating or braking too sharply. Driving too fast on windy country roads could be the perfect recipe to make other occupants feel queasy and could even lead to having to do a thorough deep-clean of the upholstery and carpet.

“Interestingly, our research also found that a small proportion (3%) of drivers say they suffer from potentially-debilitating migraines while in the car – something we would suggest sufferers talk to their GP about.”

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