After a long and stressful day at work, most of us cannot wait to get home as soon as possible. But that drive, especially if it is a long one, can be very dangerous if you are very tired and your seat is too comfortable. Fatigue behind the wheel is as dangerous as drinking and driving. More than 100,000 car accidents each year in India are attributed to fatigue.
What is Driver's Fatigue?
"Driver's fatigue" or drowsy driving is a condition when people drive while they are tired, drowsy or sleepy. If you drive tired, weary or exhausted, you increase your chances of having a crash. Driving when you are fatigued is not only dangerous to yourself, but also to everyone on the road.
What Causes Driver's Fatigue?
There are many factors that can cause driver's fatigue. Here are a few enlisted:
- Lack of Quality Sleep: If you haven't received seven to eight hours of sleep, you are just asking for Driver's Fatigue. When you are deprived of adequate sleep, you suffer from concentration problems which can produce undesirable effects when you are driving. A study conducted by researchers in Australia and New Zealand found that people who drive after being awake for 17 to 19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol level of .05 percent (the legal limit for drunk driving in most western European countries). The researchers noted that getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night can affect coordination, reaction time and judgment.
- Night Drives: Night driving quickly causes fatigue because your body clock wants you to sleep. The glare of lights makes it even worse.
- Length of the Drive: Traveling for long hours without a break in between results in fatigue.
- Adverse Weather: A few hours of driving in the rain or fog can seriously cause fatigue.
- Heavy Traffic: Drivers already stressed out from work, when meet heavy traffic on their way home, quickly become tired.
What are the Symptoms of Driver's Fatigue?
In order to combat fatigue, first you need to know the symptoms. Here are a few symptoms of driver's fatigue:
- Frequent yawning
- Tired, puffy eyes
- Boredom
- Eyes closing for a moment or going out of focus
- Inability to remember directions
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble keeping your head up
- Braking too late
- Delayed reactions
- Daydreaming
How can You Prevent Driver Fatigue?
In order to be safe, follow these tips to prevent driver's fatigue:
- Be sure to get enough quality sleep before you begin driving. A quality sleep is defined as 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep before your trip.
- Never drive on a full stomach because after meal sleepiness will affect your ability to stay alert on the road. However, this does not mean that you should deprive yourself of food altogether. During long trips, eat a healthy snack every two hours to maintain a steady supply of energy.
- Try not to travel more than 8 to 10 hours each day.
- Take a 15 minute breaks after at least every two hours to refresh your mind and body. During this break, you can stretch and take a short nap for 15 to 20 minutes. According to the National Sleep Foundation, pulling over for a short nap is the most effective way to restore alertness on the road.
- Avoid late night journeys as much as possible because the chances of crashing are much higher late at night and early morning.
- Eliminate distractions like cell phones and GPS, and focus on the road.
- Do not focus on one stretch of highway for too long. Keep your eyes moving.
- Travel with more than one licensed driver and take turns driving every two hours. A non-driving companion can also help the driver stay awake by talking to the driver, and keeping an eye for the signs that the driver may have missed.
Following the above road trip tips can help you reduce fatigue and stay alert when driving. Remember, Safe Motoring is Happy motoring!
