How to avoid driver fatigue when driving on holiday

You’ve packed the car, and everyone is excited to start the journey to the beach! But before you get there, there is quite a lot of travelling to be done. One of the biggest challenges facing you is driver fatigue. Research shows that driver fatigue contributes to 20% of all car crashes, and 25% of all fatal crashes. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. So, to make your journey safe, learn more about what causes driver fatigue and how to rather prevent it. ¹

Are you aware of driver fatigue?

Driver fatigue is incredibly dangerous, and is best described as a person being so tired, due to lack of sleep, that their thinking and cognitive abilities are greatly reduced. This can cause a person to fall asleep, and if they are behind the wheel at the time, it immediately puts everyone in great danger. ¹

What are the symptoms of driver fatigue?

It can start with yawning and rubbing of sore eyes. Daydreaming, also a symptom, is like falling asleep with your eyes open. As a driver, you become less aware of what is happening on the road and are much slower to respond. You find concentrating difficult, and your eyes are desperate to close. ¹

Let’s look at some of the causes of driver’s fatigue and how to address them.

Too little sleep the night before

Maybe you pack the car until late at night after a heavy day at the office. Then, to make matters worse, you leave to go on holiday at 04h00 the next morning. This is problematic as most people need 7-8 hours of sleep. So make sure to get a full nights rest, for your safety and the safety of those around you. ¹Driving at night

When driving at night, you need to concentrate much more than if driving during the day. At night, you can only see a short distance ahead at any given time. Make an effort to drive only during the day. ¹

Are you on any medication?

Make sure that you don’t take any medication that causes drowsiness, which will definitely interfere with your driving ability. Never drink alcohol while driving. If you had a party the night before leaving to go on holiday, wait until you are sober before you begin the journey. ¹

Check the weather

Before going on a long trip, check the weather to avoid driving through stormy conditions. If it’s going to rain for many hours along the way, perhaps leave a bit earlier or later? ¹

Driving for extended periods

Your mind can only concentrate on driving for a certain amount of time before it begins to lose concentration. That is why planning your journey with regular breaks is so important. After a few hours of driving, stop at a garage and rest. Swop drivers, if possible, so you can close your eyes during the next leg of the journey.¹

Protect your eyes

The sun’s glare can affect visibility and put strain on your eyes. Wearing high-quality sunglasses will solve the problem.¹

Enjoy fresh air

Open the car’s air vents to bring fresh air into the cabin because stuffy air, caused especially by many passengers, can make you feel drowsy. ¹

How’s the condition of your car?

It’s always a good idea to make sure that your car is in great working order before taking it on a long road trip. If necessary, have the car serviced before going on holiday in order to avoid a mechanical breakdown. ¹

Do you have all the emergency numbers available?

Make sure your cell phone has emergency telephone numbers including your insurer’s roadside assistance and towing service. It’s important to make sure that you keep your cell phone charged. ¹

Disclaimer

The aim of this article is to help you avoid driver fatigue ensuring a safe drive and a more enjoyable holiday trip. ¹

Before going on your holiday trip, make sure that your car insurance policy covers your car for all the roads you intend to travel. For instance, some insurers do not cover your car when driving on dirt roads. If you have any questions, contact us at PMD. We can inform you about our affordable car insurance products, with special benefits such as fixed premiums* and a reduce-to-zero excess*, packaged in our world-class service. T’s and C’s apply. Knowing you have excellent cover while going on holiday adds that extra sense of calm.

First, consult a certified financial advisor for professional advice if you want to buy a financial services product.

Now that you know how to avoid falling asleep at the wheel, enjoy your journey and have a great holiday.

Source:

¹https://www.startmycar.co.za/blogs/topclick/avoid-driver-fatigue-the-silent-killer-on-sa-s-roads

This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.