What are the dangers of fatigued driving?
3 Answers
The hazards of fatigued driving are as follows: 1. Decreased judgment: When a driver is fatigued, their judgment declines, reactions become sluggish, and operational errors increase. 2. Forgetting operations: When a driver is mildly fatigued, they may shift gears untimely or inaccurately; when moderately fatigued, their movements become sluggish, sometimes even forgetting to operate. 3. Poor control: When severely fatigued, drivers often perform subconscious operations or experience brief sleep episodes, potentially losing control of the vehicle in serious cases. 4. Increased risk of accidents: Fatigued drivers may experience blurred vision, back pain, stiff movements, swollen hands or feet, lack of concentration, slow reactions, incomplete thinking, mental distraction, anxiety, or irritability. Persisting in driving under these conditions may lead to traffic accidents.
The dangers of fatigued driving are quite significant. When people drive for extended periods or lack sufficient sleep, their neural reaction times slow down, vision becomes blurry, and movements less coordinated. I've heard many stories of drivers dozing off for just a few seconds, causing their vehicles to veer off and collide with barriers—reaction times even slower than drunk driving. A friend of mine, rushing on the road late at night, rear-ended another car due to drowsiness and delayed braking, leaving lasting neck injuries. Physical fatigue also impairs emotional judgment, making drivers more prone to road rage or indecision in critical moments. Symptoms like nausea and cold sweats can also occur, turning driving into a ticking time bomb. Statistics show that 60% of early-morning highway accidents are fatigue-related, so it's crucial to ensure at least seven hours of sleep before hitting the road.
Mental fatigue poses a significant threat to driving safety. While driving requires simultaneous attention to multiple factors, exhaustion drastically diminishes focus, leaving one's mind as muddled as glue. Some people attempt to stay alert by listening to music while driving, but it proves utterly ineffective. I’ve witnessed cases where drivers mistook road obstacles for small animals, completely misjudging distances. Research also shows that drivers who operate a vehicle continuously for four hours exhibit reaction times equivalent to having consumed a beer. Particularly during the biological low points of 1–2 PM and 3–4 AM, the combination of circadian rhythm dips and fatigue becomes especially hazardous—even lane-changing judgments suffer. Therefore, it’s best to avoid these time slots when planning trips and to pull over for a 20-minute nap every two hours on the road.
