It's an all too common situation. Sitting behind the wheel of a car on a long journey. You’ve been driving for a while and reaching your destination is the only thing on your mind. You’re cruising along with the radio on but before you know it, you start drifting. A wave of tiredness subtly washes over you. When you don’t have too far left to go on your journey, it’s far too tempting to try to power through. You tell yourself you’ll be grand but, in reality, you might not be.
Driver fatigue plays a role in as many as 1 in 5 driver deaths across the island of Ireland every year and when it comes to nodding off at the wheel, 1 in 10 Irish motorists have admitted to falling asleep while driving. So, what is driver fatigue? Why do we get it? What do we do when it hits and, most importantly, how do we prevent it?
What is driver fatigue?
We’re so accustomed to using phrases like ‘tired’, ‘wrecked’ or ‘exhausted’, that the word fatigue is often more associated with the medical world. Basically, it means extreme exhaustion due to a lack of quality sleep over a period of time. Driver fatigue impacts you both physically and mentally, which in turn can impair your driving.
Who is at risk?
The typical adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Less than this and you’re at a higher risk of being involved in a crash. Also at a greater risk of a being involved in an incident are commercial drivers, people working nights, those who require a significant amount of road use, people taking prescription medicine, and those driving at a time when they would usually be sleeping.
What are the symptoms?
Whether a driver or a passenger, it’s important to recognise the signs of driver fatigue as spotting them in yourself or someone else may prevent a collision. There’s an array of different indicators to look out for including heavy or sore eyes, yawning, restlessness, impatience, lack of concentration or zoning out, as well as abnormal driving behaviour and slow reactions. If you find yourself forgetting the last few minutes of your drive, nodding your head, rubbing your eyes or starting to feel drowsy you could be suffering from driver fatigue and need to take immediate action.
What to do I do if I get driver fatigue while on the road?
The first thing you need to do is pull over as soon as it’s safe to do so. Driver fatigue impairs your judgement so when you recognise it, make stopping a priority. Ensure you’re pulling over somewhere safe, like a designated lay-by or a place where you can get a coffee. That’s the next step, caffeine. You need to consume 150mg of caffeine, which is the equivalent of roughly two cups of coffee. Then, take a 15-minute nap. By the time you wake, the kick from the caffeine should have set in. Before setting off though, stretch your legs, get some fresh air and make sure you properly wake up before hitting the road again. Don’t drive if you’re still in a post-sleep daze. Taking those steps should give you another hour on the road. It’s not an overall fix for a considerably longer trip.
When you’re back on the road, take your time and ensure you keep your car cool rather than too warm, which can make you sleepy again. Look out for the symptoms as you continue on your journey and, whatever you do, don’t try and fight the sleep. According to the Road Safety Authority, fighting sleep while driving is the same as driving over the legal alcohol limit and driving while tired puts your life and the lives of others at risk.
How can I avoid it?
Getting the required 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep per night is the best way to combat driver fatigue. This is easier said than done for many, whether you have a new baby in the house or work irregular shift patterns, but knowing what you need to do is a start. As well as this, recognising the symptoms and taking appropriate action could not only save your life, but the lives of others.
