'Bad' odours cause bad driving - survey

Driving badly? Then ditch the pastry and reach for the mints.

Different odours affect the way motorists drive, with fast-food scents likely to increase road-rage potential, and other smells, such as peppermint, deemed to improve concentration.

"More than any other sense, the sense of smell circumnavigates the logical part of the brain," said the RAC Foundation's consultant psychologist, Conrad King.

"This is why the smell of perfume can turn men into gibbering idiots, the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter, and the smell of baby powder can make a child an averse individual and quite broody," he said in a statement.

The RAC Foundation said it has conducted research into the impact of smells on driving after the release of an odour study in the United States.

King said good odours to have in your vehicle, other than peppermint, include cinnamon, lemon and coffee. A blast of salty sea air can also encourage deep breathing and help relieve stress.

In contrast, the smell of fast-food wrappers, fresh bread or pastry can cause driver irritability and a tendency to speed, because they make drivers feel hungry and in a hurry to satiate their appetites.

Other "dangerous" odours are camomile, jasmine and lavender, because they can cause drivers to over-relax or fall asleep. The plants are commonly used to treat insomnia.

For those motorists who might opt for a neutral-smelling interior, be warned. Studies of astronauts found an odourless environment created irritability and even olfactory hallucinations.

Cars of the future are likely to have in-built systems able to detect a driver's mood and react by altering the car's seating, lighting, temperature and even smell. In the meantime, motorists are advised to keep a packet of mints handy.