The second weekend of July marks this year the beginning of the long summer holidays. If you plan to drive, beware of drowsiness.
It’s the start of the long holidays this Friday, July 7th. Smart Bison is planning a black Saturday on the roads of France. If you plan to drive, be patient and careful, especially if you’re sleep deprived. Drowsiness, this state between wakefulness and sleep, can have very serious consequences.
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According to the Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety, it is even one of the leading causes of fatal accidents on the highway. In 2021, there were 131 fatigue-related fatalities.
The association “Prevention Insurance” publishes a study on the subject and according to it, a shortened night multiplies by six the risk of road accident. This study was carried out on 25 volunteers, young, in good health and good sleepers. The first week, they slept seven to eight hours. The second week they slept through the night for the first six days, and on the seventh they only closed their eyes for four hours. At the end of each week, the volunteers were placed in front of a driving simulator, and after the second week, almost a quarter of them had an accident.
A good night’s sleep before hitting the road
To avoid any risk of accident, the Road Prevention association first recommends avoiding leaving after a day’s work. Better, she assures, to take the wheel after a good night’s rest, and preferably without going to bed late to pack the bags and load the car.
There are also time slots to avoid: between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. and between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., just after lunch, since digestion causes drowsiness.For the same reason, before driving, give preference to light, alcohol-free meals, even in very small quantities.
Please note: some medications can also cause drowsiness. To find out, go to their box: they carry a yellow, orange or red pictogram depending on the degree of risk. Finally, chatting with passengers or listening to the radio is a trick not to doze off, provided you stay focused on the road.
If you feel like you’re sinking, you definitely need to take a break. It is recommended at least every two hours and at the first signs of fatigue: yawning, itchy eyes, stiffness in the muscles… Getting some fresh air, getting out of the vehicle, walking, allows you to breathe a little, and if the need arises, you can also take a nap, even for only a quarter of an hour.