US Research Confirms Cancer Risk – 25 years later
Some 25 years ago an Australian research report found that in countries with right hand drive vehicles there are more cancers and pre-cancerous growths on the right side of a driver. Now researchers at the University Of Washington in Seattle, USA have found that Americans have a tendency to develop the worst forms of skin cancer such as melanomas and merkel cell carcinomas on the left side of their bodies. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology also said that there is an especially high incidence of cancers discovered on the upper left arm, which is consistent with left hand drive vehicles. It’s good to see that our American cousins have finally caught up with our thinking!
It seems therefore that driving in Summer conditions with the driver’s window open has a big impact on the incidence of skin cancer.
There are three simple solutions:-
1. Cover up – long sleeve shirts are an obvious answer.
2. Apply sunscreen to arms and exposed areas.
3. Keep the windows shut, as auto glass filters out much of the bad UV that can cause cancer. So drive with the windows up and the aircon on, and, whilst that may not be the fuel efficient or ‘greenie’ solution, it could save your life.
Level 2, 9 Help Street