Have you ever been tired? Of course you have. Have you ever driven when tired? Again, you probably have at some point.
There are so many factors that can cause tiredness that it’s hard to avoid feeling tired all together. In fact, something would be wrong if you never felt tired. Most of the time, this is not going to present any danger to yourself or others. If it occurs when you are driving, it could do.
How does tiredness affect driving ability?
Some studies have found the effects of fatigue on driving to be similar to the effects of alcohol. Everyone knows that drunk driving is wrong, but fewer contemplate whether they should drive when tired. People often view driving as the quickest way to get the rest they need. For example, jumping in the car at the end of a late shift, knowing that in 20 minutes, you will reach your house and your bed. Or, carrying on a little further till the next service station, where you can switch off the engine and grab a quick break to enable you to continue your journey.
While most of the time, you will make it safely to that place where you can get some rest, not all drivers do. Fatigue can affect concentration, judgment and reaction time. In extreme cases, it can cause a driver to close their eyes and lose sight of the road altogether.
Think twice before driving when tired. No matter how confident you are that you can make it safely, you need to factor in other drivers who may be tired or negligent in some other way. Your tiredness will leave you less chance of avoiding a collision they cause, and it could harm your chance of claiming compensation.
