Sometimes driving can seem easy. Cruising along a major road or dual carriageway at a steady speed whilst listening to the radio can put you into a state of relaxation. Daydreams can fill your mind and you begin to drive as if on autopilot. However the result of this is that your concentration decreases and your changes of being involved in a road accident increase.
It is vital that your try and stay alert at all times. The following guide shows you how you can maintain your concentration whilst driving.
Try not to drive whilst feeling tired and emotional. Put off the journey until you have calmed down.
Don't let your eyes wander away from the road especially when driving at 60-70mph. When driving at 70mph you are covering over 30 metres every second. If you look away to admire the view for a few seconds you will have driven nearly 100 meters without looking where you are going.
Avoid eating and drinking whilst driving. If on a long journey take regular breaks for food and drink.
If listening to music don't have it at an excessively loud volume.
Avoid heated discussions or arguments with your passengers.
If you need to look at a map then pull over and park somewhere safe. Don't try and read it whilst you continue to drive.
Driving when tired is a major cause of death on the road. Road accidents that involve a driver who has fallen asleep behind the wheel are usually very serious because the sleeping driver won't have made any attempt to brake or avoid the crash.
If when driving you start to feel drowsy you should:
Open a window and let plenty of fresh air into the car.
Pull over somewhere safe and take a break. If you can sleep then take a short nap.
Get some caffeine into your system by drinking coffee or cola.
To reduce the risk of becoming overly tired whilst driving:
Avoid long drives during the hours when normally you would be sleeping.
Always take regular breaks whilst driving on long journeys. It is recommended that you stop for a minimum of fifteen minutes for every two hours driving.
Avoid driving for long distances after a poor nights sleep.