Intro to ‘An Essential Road Safety Guide For Understanding Driver Fatigue’

Did you know, 13% of drivers admitted to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point in their lives? Even before reaching that state, driving drowsy puts yourself and other drivers at risk, and has a similar effect on your cognitive skills as being over the legal drink driving limit.

There are certain groups of people who will naturally be at greater risk of suffering from the consequences of drowsy driving. These include commercial drivers, people working rotating night shifts and drivers with medical conditions that can affect their sleep health.

Fortunately, there are lots of behavioural adjustments drivers can make to help manage the risks and keep everyone safe. For example, it’s important to ensure you get enough rest the night before a long drive and have planned plenty of rest stops throughout your journey. While it may not be your first thought, you could also look at your diet. Eating the correct foods will provide you with enough energy to safely complete a long car journey, whilst it’s also pivotal to stay properly hydrated. Ensure you pack your car with plenty of both.

If you are caught falling asleep behind the wheel or cause an accident due to drowsy driving, you are liable to face serious legal repercussions. Keep yourself on the right side of the law, and familiarise yourself with this useful safety guide to understanding driver fatigue, which includes plenty of useful tips and advice, along with some shocking statistics which highlight the problem.