Why driving when tired is dangerous

Fatigue is one of the top five factors contributing to road crashes. So plan to rest at least 15 minutes every 2 hours.

Caffeine is only a temporary solution. Turning up the radio won’t help for long, neither will winding down the window. The only fix for being tired is sleep so rest before you hit the road.

References

1. Williamson, A. M. and Feyer, A. M. (2000). ‘Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication.’ Occupational and Environmental Medicine 57(10): 649-655.

2. Horne, J. A. and Reyner, L.A. (1995) ‘Sleep related vehicle accidents.’ BMJ 310(6979): 565-567

3. Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD. (2015). ‘Analysis of the distance from origin of journey to crash location for fatigued drivers’ (Rqc20238), unpublished.