Ways to Fight Driver Fatigue

May 29, 2018

Ways to Fight Driver Fatigue

A road trip, driving to your job or coming home from an exhausting day can be a daily activity where you find yourself in a position where you need to keep your eyes on the road while protecting others by following the driving rules.  Here are some tips that can help you regarding drivers fatigue that’s affecting more and more Americans in a modern society

Get Seven to Eight Hours of Sleep

You need to stay alert and safe behind the wheel. Fatigue can lead to real danger on the road, but it’s just a lack of sleep or feeling tired. Almost 37% (National Safety Council) driver nodded off or fallen asleep at the wheel at least once during last year. Get you seven or eight hours of sleep and get enough rest. It can help your body to recover and to be fresh.

Take Breaks

So don’t go on a road trip or holiday exhausted. Try to avoid night drives, cause glare of lights on your dashboard and other vehicles increase the chance of distraction. You need to keep your breaks for caffeine every 2 hours and also explain your driving partner to start some conversation so he/she can keep you up.

Beware of myths

There are myths like drinking coffee while driving, turning up the radio or cd, eating sugary food or rolling down a window while driving. They can be, but there is not the practical solution. These are just misconceptions. If you are tired, stop and have a 20-minute power nap. Allow time to be your best friend and recover before you hit the road again.

Don’t get too comfortable

Drive with your shoulders back and your head up. Get your posture right. Legs should be flexed around 45-degree angle. Tuck your back against the lower part of the seat. You can use sunglasses to fight the road glares.

Sings of fatigue

  •    You yawn often
  •    Red eyes
  •    You have the problem with finding a comfortable position
  •    Maintaining speed and keeping the straight course
  •    Slower reactions
  •    Seeing things that are not there, foggy or blurred picture
  •    Getting nervous when there is a monotonous part of the road
  •    You stop looking in your rearview mirrors
  •    The trouble with keeping your eyes open

 

The Facts

If you fall asleep for 2 seconds during driving at 60 km/h, you will wake up 30 meters further down the road. A driver who has not slept for 17 hours is likely to crash than a person with a blood alcohol content of  05g/100ml. Being awake for 24 hours and driving, you have seven times chance more likely to crash than a well-rested person. Don’t wait for your sleep debt to accumulate. That can be dangerous. The only way to avoid liability to adds up is to have regular seven to eight hours of sleep.

Without sleep, this debt can add up and may lead to urge to rest while on the road.

 

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