Long drives can be tiring behind the wheel. And driving any distance requires an alert brain. Whether you’re heading to the cabin or hitting the open road on an epic adventure, it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with the risks of fatigue while driving.
Distracted driving doesn’t just mean looking at your phone. Fatigued driving is, in fact, a form of impaired or distracted driving. People who drive distracted are eight times more likely to be in an accident or near-accident. At the start of a road trip, you often have a rush of adrenaline because you’re excited, says Mark Pasternak, AMA’s supervisor of novice instruction for driver education. But after long hours of driving, that adrenaline could result in mental exhaustion.
The tedium of long drives can also take a toll. “There’s a lot of boredom [in driving]—like on long stretches of road—so the brain can naturally tend to lose focus,” Pasternak notes. “Zoning out is a big factor.” The simplest way to prevent zoning out is to switch drivers every one to two hours, Pasternak advises. If you’re alone or your fellow passengers don’t drive, switch things up to stimulate your brain—roll down a window, change the music or even chew gum. But you’re only going to delay, not get rid of, the fatigue. When it’s safe to do so, stop your vehicle—perhaps at a rest stop or viewpoint—so you can get out and move around. This tends to help improve your concentration levels and keep you fresher for the long drive. Schedule breaks ahead of time if possible, at least every two hours.
AMA offers online courses on topics including driver-fatigue management and distracted driving. Visit ama.ab.ca/onlinecourses to learn more.