Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can pose a real danger to your safety on the roads. It is a well-known fact. Did you know that tired driving can pose a similar threat?
After being awake for 17 hours, a person can drive with impaired driving skills if they have a blood alcohol level of 0.05mg/ml. You can extend that to 24 hours, and your blood alcohol level will reach illegal levels of 0.01g/l3. Experts estimate that driver’s fatigue contributes to up to 30% of collisions in UK vehicles and 25% of fatal or serious accidents.
Driving instructors Birmingham focuses on teaching students how to drive safely. Here are some tips to help you recognize the signs and avoid getting into an accident due to tired driving.
Are there any dangers to driving while tired?
It is possible to be too slow to respond. Tired drivers may react too slowly to hazards, such as vehicle collisions. Rear-end collisions can be caused by braking too late. You could miss important hazards. Tiredness can make your observation skills less effective, leading to you missing something dangerous, such as a pedestrian crossing the road or another vehicle turning or stopping. Your coordination deteriorates. Impaired coordination could lead to a driver moving in or out of your lane without you even realizing it. Surprisingly, 1 in 8 UK drivers admits to falling asleep behind the wheel at one point in their lives. Only 40% of respondents said that they felt so tired while driving that they were afraid they would fall asleep.
Who is most at risk?
Two groups are at the greatest risk for tiredness while driving:
- Worker drivers – People who drive are more likely to be tired because they spend more time driving. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (2001), 40% of all tiredness-related accidents involve commercial vehicles.
- Younger adults – those aged between 30 and 40 are more likely to fall prey to tiredness-promoting habits, such as staying awake all night, sleeping less than adequate, excessive screen time, and taking in stimulants.
Worryingly, young drivers (18-24 years old) are more likely to drive regardless of how tired they feel (3% compared with 3% of all drivers). They also believe tiredness doesn’t affect their driving abilities (13% compared with 2% of all drivers) (The American Automobile Association, 2019).
The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that makes decisions, does not fully develop until 25. This explains why this age group is likely to take the uncalculated risk.
Tired driving isn’t something that happens without warning.
Fatigue is not something that happens suddenly. Although most people recognize the signs of fatigue, many don’t realize the dangers of tired driving.
Tiredness and fatigue are symptoms that can be identified as:
- Concentration on the road becomes more difficult
- Frequent yawning
- Feeling heavy and full in the eyes
- My eyes feel as if they are starting to roll.
- Nods and heads feel heavy.
It would be best if you were prepared
Qualified driving instructors in Birmingham suggest you avoid getting tired by planning your trip.
Long journeys can be made with little notice, so ensure you are well-rested before you set off. Every 2 hours, plan a 15-minute stop to rest. This will allow you to stretch, get to the bathroom, and have something to drink.
Healthy habits can reduce the risk of road accidents caused by tiredness. Although individual sleep requirements differ, the average adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep each night. You can change your daily routine to reduce screen time or set a bedtime earlier if you aren’t hitting this target.
If you are tired or have other health issues affecting your sleep, go to your doctor. Commercial drivers should also speak with their bosses to let them know that they have any sleep problems.
Stop driving if you feel tired.
The best way to combat tiredness while driving is to take a break and stop. It is not worth taking on a journey that is so urgent that it could endanger your life or the lives of others.
Contrary to popular belief, turning the radio or air conditioner to maximum volume will not stop tired driving. They may even be more distracting for drivers.
First, make sure you stop at a safe location – a station at a motorway service station is ideal. Two cups of coffee or a caffeinated energy beverage are recommended. If possible, take a break for around 15-20 minutes.
