roadsafety Avoiding Fatigue During Long Drives

[SK01]

Roadtrips... long drives... holiday to the hills driving our car, gives a high to all the drivers. Driving to the beaches or to the unexplored hills with our family or friends is an all-time favorite activity. Driving is fun, but a single error makes it a disaster.

 

All drivers know the feeling - a frightening realization behind the wheel of the car when a wave of drowsiness hits, that you may be too tired to go on. A blink of an eye is all it takes for one to end up trapped inside a toppled car or a badly mangled car in the opposite lane.

 

20% of the accidents on Indian Highways are caused by driver fatigue says a survey. It all happens in seconds, as said above, in a blink of an eye. Drowsiness is extremely dangerous.

 

Pushing yourself beyond the limits, just to make it on time or just to boast to your friends of your achievements of "non-stop 800kms drive" is the last thing you would want to do.  

You Can’t Afford to Drive on Through Fatigue

 

Fatigue is a serious concern for everyone on the road. Feeling sleepy makes a driver, less attentive, and affects the driver’s ability to make quick decisions. You need to be able to navigate, merge safely, respond to unpredictable drivers, accidents, potholes or even the sudden appearance of a cattle. 

 

Delayed reaction time can mean the difference between life and death – for you, or another person on the road. A tired mind also has more trouble concentrating, making it difficult to judge speed and distance. 

 

Entering a trance-like state while driving is a trait we notice quite often while driving on highways at a constant speed, at constant cabin temperature. This is known as Highway Hypnosis. Becoming attuned to your body and its need for rest and sleep will make you a safer driver.

 

Warning Signals that It’s Time to Get Off the Road

 

Driving requires your undivided attention. If you notice one or more of these signs, it is time to get off the wheel and rest.

 

• Frequent yawning & fidgeting 

 

• Frequent lane changes without knowing

 

• Tailgating

 

• Erratic Braking

 

• Inconsistent speed

 

• Delayed reaction time

 

• Missing on turns and signboards

 

• Missing to check on ORVMs IRVMs

 

• Missing to use indicators 

 

• Rolling down the window for fresh air

 

• Blurred vision or frequent blinking

 

5 Tips to Combat Fatigue

 

1. Surveys show that a short nap can increase alertness and significantly lower the risk of driver fatigue. Take a short twenty-minute nap, preferably before you become too sleepy.

 

2. Avoid medications that may induce drowsiness. 

 

3. Eat a healthy and balanced meal at regular intervals. Lack of proper food leads to a drop in blood sugar levels which makes us drowsy. Also, heavy meals make us lazy and sluggish increasing the drowsiness. 

 

4. Coffee, smoking, turning up the volume on the radio and fresh air only work for short periods of time. Do not rely on them to keep you alert. (Personal experience, play those songs that give you a good feeling. Not too loud and not too much music. Play it at a medium volume, this will help you cruise at a constant speed making you feel attentive.) 

 

5. Stay hydrated and also keep switching between ‘recirculating’ and ‘fresh-air’ modes on the air-con. A change in temperature helps you stay more alert. (Personal experience, roll down the window and allow fresh air and those traffic sound to enter the cabin. Hearing those makes us attentive and lets us drive till we find a good tree to rest under.)

Above all, never forget to take naps at regular intervals. It's not only beneficial to you, but also to your car, its engine, and tires.  If you are really tired, never attempt to drive beyond the limits. It's your maturity and safe driving habits that ultimately call you a good driver, not your "800kms non-stop achievements". 

Edited November 3, 2019 by SK01

[Gowtham]

Excellent article, Thank you for sharing.
 

19 hours ago, SK01 said:

Blurred vision or frequent blinking

 

I personally faced this issue, during Goa to Hyderabad drive.
I hit the Hyderabad ORR( from Bangalore highway) around 3AM,
First it was frequent blinking then, I can feel the blur setting in my eyes. 

Had to take the immediate exit and wash the face. Drove along the service road till Gachibowli. 

 

Joining Hyderabad ORR during late night drive can be a risky affair. Combined with 100kmph speed limit. ?

 

[sahil]

I faced this situation once I'm coming from Bandipur forest to Hyderabad. As I started my drive at 10AM, I have exhausted at 7.30 PM near Kurnool due to continuous drive of 600km and crossing Bangalore traffic.

My eyes started burning and couldn't continue more. Finally after 1 he of search found a dabha where we stopped for a dinner and a 10 min quick nap helped me managed to drive back home by 11.30 pm.

 

So far I drive 850 km - 3 times with small breaks and 14+ hrs of continuous drive.

 

My experience says that don't drive beyond 600km or 12hrs on any day or at stretch. That is the limit one should have even if he is very good at driving.

[sahil]

In my recent trip I followed like drinking more water and have some light snacks continuosly will help me awake as my gallbladder Will be full and I have to take frequent bio breaks. Didnt feel drowsy at all. It's drive from Bangalore to Hyderabad from 9 PM to 4 AM. 

[Gowtham]

1 hour ago, sahil said:

10 min quick nap helped me managed to drive back home

 

Power naps help a lot during long drive. 
We can use

1. Dhabas
2. Toll booths
3. Fuel stations

I prefer busy dhabas, ideal for tea break as well. 

[karthik]

To the point @SK01 . more kilometers is equal to more danger. Most of the expressway accidents are due to drowsiness. 
One more scenario I observed, during Marriages/events people get tired and sleep while driving. 
Avoid driving during such events. Always start fresh after a good sleep (6 hours)

[karthik]

1 hour ago, sahil said:

drinking more water

 

I follow this and results are always good. More water is equal to more hydration, leads to less fatigue. 

[SK01]

5 hours ago, Ranger said:

Excellent article

Thank you @Ranger

 

5 hours ago, Ranger said:

Joining Hyderabad ORR during late night drive can be a risky affair. Combined with 100kmph speed limit. ?

Absolutely right. I always try to avoid ORR during nights for the same reason.

[SK01]

4 hours ago, sahil said:

My experience says that don't drive beyond 600km or 12hrs on any day

Very well said @sahil

4 hours ago, sahil said:

crossing Bangalore traffic.

I always prefer halting mid way for Bengaluru drive unless started early in the morning. Main reason being traffic. We get easily exhausted after entering city, driving continuesly on highways.  Reasons are many... 

[SK01]

3 hours ago, sahil said:

drinking more water and have some light snacks

Very good tip. Will definitely be useful.

[SK01]

2 hours ago, karthik said:

To the point

Thank you @karthik

 

2 hours ago, karthik said:

Always start fresh after a good sleep (6 hours)

I always prefer early morning drives, and if night drives will start before 6.00pm before busses start their journey. Always try to be 2hrs ahead of heavy vehicles (mainly bus). This way we can have a peaceful drive. I always follow this while driving to Vijayawada. 

[sahil]

37 minutes ago, SK01 said:

Thank you @karthik

 

I always prefer early morning drives, and if night drives will start before 6.00pm before busses start their journey. Always try to be 2hrs ahead of heavy vehicles (mainly bus). This way we can have a peaceful drive. I always follow this while driving to Vijayawada. 

Yes. It's always good and morning drives are pleasent. Also we should not give a chance for trucks or busses to overtake us. If it's unavoidable then need to avoid them and let them go. Need to maintain good distance from busses and trucks at any time.

 

On the last day of my trip as keen to reach back home I'm driving for 600+km or 12+hrs and i should avoid.

[Sridhar Tandra]

I always start at around 3.30-4 am for any long drive to that matter. 1) I can easily pass through city traffic 2) Drive at this time after a nice nap will be fresh and will not feel tired at least until snack time, by then I will usually cover off the distance and reach my destination usually for the day (Anything around ~600-700 km's). No tiredness means no fatigue! 

 

Also, the main benefit by starting at this time (since I do VJA / Anantapur most of the times) avoid heavy vehicles to the most. Buses reach their destinations already or the city outskirts which means no heavy traffic / head lights oncoming and very less truck traffic at this time.

 

Fantastic Topic to discuss! Thanks @SK01

[SK01]

5 minutes ago, Sridhar Tandra said:

I always start at around 3.30-4 am for any long drive to that matter.

Early mornings always advisable @Sridhar Tandra

[shiva]

Good tips. Even though we consider yourself to be experts. It better read such information and keep them in our mind during long drives.

[MTF]

23 hours ago, karthik said:

 

I follow this and results are always good. More water is equal to more hydration, leads to less fatigue. 

Even my personal experience with water is same. Take more water, you have to take a pee break every hour. Very helpful.

[MTF]

19 hours ago, Sridhar Tandra said:

I always start at around 3.30-4 am for any long drive to that matter. 1) I can easily pass through city traffic 2) Drive at this time after a nice nap will be fresh and will not feel tired at least until snack time, by then I will usually cover off the distance and reach my destination usually for the day (Anything around ~600-700 km's). No tiredness means no fatigue! 

 

Also, the main benefit by starting at this time (since I do VJA / Anantapur most of the times) avoid heavy vehicles to the most. Buses reach their destinations already or the city outskirts which means no heavy traffic / head lights oncoming and very less truck traffic at this time.

 

Fantastic Topic to discuss! Thanks @SK01

For me this is always is perfect plan. Start early, take off by sunset. I'm not at all comfortable driving in artificial lights.

[MTF]

On 11/4/2019 at 10:30 AM, Ranger said:

Excellent article, Thank you for sharing.
 

 

I personally faced this issue, during Goa to Hyderabad drive.
I hit the Hyderabad ORR( from Bangalore highway) around 3AM,
First it was frequent blinking then, I can feel the blur setting in my eyes. 

Had to take the immediate exit and wash the face. Drove along the service road till Gachibowli. 

 

Joining Hyderabad ORR during late night drive can be a risky affair. Combined with 100kmph speed limit. ?

 

Very recently I drive between Exit 12 and 6 for almost 60 kms, around 9pm. I felt just slept for few  milli seconds since it was almost deserted!!! 

[MTF]

On 11/3/2019 at 2:46 PM, SK01 said:

Roadtrips... long drives... holiday to the hills driving our car, gives a high to all the drivers. Driving to the beaches or to the unexplored hills with our family or friends is an all-time favorite activity. Driving is fun, but a single error makes it a disaster.

 

All drivers know the feeling - a frightening realization behind the wheel of the car when a wave of drowsiness hits, that you may be too tired to go on. A blink of an eye is all it takes for one to end up trapped inside a toppled car or a badly mangled car in the opposite lane.

 

20% of the accidents on Indian Highways are caused by driver fatigue says a survey. It all happens in seconds, as said above, in a blink of an eye. Drowsiness is extremely dangerous.

 

Pushing yourself beyond the limits, just to make it on time or just to boast to your friends of your achievements of "non-stop 800kms drive" is the last thing you would want to do.  

You Can’t Afford to Drive on Through Fatigue

 

Fatigue is a serious concern for everyone on the road. Feeling sleepy makes a driver, less attentive, and affects the driver’s ability to make quick decisions. You need to be able to navigate, merge safely, respond to unpredictable drivers, accidents, potholes or even the sudden appearance of a cattle. 

 

Delayed reaction time can mean the difference between life and death – for you, or another person on the road. A tired mind also has more trouble concentrating, making it difficult to judge speed and distance. 

 

Entering a trance-like state while driving is a trait we notice quite often while driving on highways at a constant speed, at constant cabin temperature. This is known as Highway Hypnosis. Becoming attuned to your body and its need for rest and sleep will make you a safer driver.

 

Warning Signals that It’s Time to Get Off the Road

 

Driving requires your undivided attention. If you notice one or more of these signs, it is time to get off the wheel and rest.

 

• Frequent yawning & fidgeting 

 

• Frequent lane changes without knowing

 

• Tailgating

 

• Erratic Braking

 

• Inconsistent speed

 

• Delayed reaction time

 

• Missing on turns and signboards

 

• Missing to check on ORVMs IRVMs

 

• Missing to use indicators 

 

• Rolling down the window for fresh air

 

• Blurred vision or frequent blinking

 

5 Tips to Combat Fatigue

 

1. Surveys show that a short nap can increase alertness and significantly lower the risk of driver fatigue. Take a short twenty-minute nap, preferably before you become too sleepy.

 

2. Avoid medications that may induce drowsiness. 

 

3. Eat a healthy and balanced meal at regular intervals. Lack of proper food leads to a drop in blood sugar levels which makes us drowsy. Also, heavy meals make us lazy and sluggish increasing the drowsiness. 

 

4. Coffee, smoking, turning up the volume on the radio and fresh air only work for short periods of time. Do not rely on them to keep you alert. (Personal experience, play those songs that give you a good feeling. Not too loud and not too much music. Play it at a medium volume, this will help you cruise at a constant speed making you feel attentive.) 

 

5. Stay hydrated and also keep switching between ‘recirculating’ and ‘fresh-air’ modes on the air-con. A change in temperature helps you stay more alert. (Personal experience, roll down the window and allow fresh air and those traffic sound to enter the cabin. Hearing those makes us attentive and lets us drive till we find a good tree to rest under.)

Above all, never forget to take naps at regular intervals. It's not only beneficial to you, but also to your car, its engine, and tires.  If you are really tired, never attempt to drive beyond the limits. It's your maturity and safe driving habits that ultimately call you a good driver, not your "800kms non-stop achievements". 

Thanks for sharing the detailed article...

Very useful.

[SK01]

2 hours ago, MTF said:

Thanks for sharing the detailed article...

Very useful.

Thank you. 

[SK01]

6 hours ago, shiva said:

Good tips

Thank you @shiva