A study by Virginia Tech Transportation concluded that driving fatigue is the major villain behind 20 percent of traffic mishaps. Feeling exhausted while driving is a situation most drivers have experienced at one time or another. Driver fatigue often hits us during long drives through monotonous stretches of roads.
Driving tired makes a driver unresponsive or poorly responsive to situations developing on the road. Drivers must be made aware of this danger and media and other agencies need to educate people about the dangers of driving while sleep deprived. Luckily, there a few tricks to recognize and avoid drowsy driving and keep fatigue under check.
The most obvious remedy for drowsy driving is to ensure that you have adequate rest before starting off on a long drive. Try not to overeat before you drive. If you don't have a companion who can take over driving while you take a rest, then plan to take breaks after every two hours or take a 20 minute nap.
The time of day you're driving also plays a significant part in driving fatigue. Choosing to drive late at night or early in the morning, braving the flashing headlights of oncoming vehicles, can lead to a hypnotic effect. Similarly, in the middle of the afternoon or just after lunch a driver tends to get tired. It is important to know how to guard against driver fatigue by taking a good, honest look at what times of day you are sleepiest and avoiding a trip during those hours.
Since fatigue can happen to any driver irrespective of experience it is important to be proactive on that front. Ask yourself: should I really be driving right now? If you still are unsure, try taking an online driver training course.
This blog has been republished with updated content in 2021.
The original was posted in July 2012.
The original was posted in July 2012.
