Where are you headed on your next road trip? No matter where you’re headed, you certainly won’t be alone. According to a recent story on Fox Weather, 75% of the respondents to a travel survey noted they were planning a road trip. That planning can include mapping out routes, packing the car, and deciding what sights you want to see. Your planning should also include your rest schedule.
How long should you take breaks on long road trips? The answer depends on where you’re headed and how long it will take to get there. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets service hour regulations for truck drivers that require them to take a 30-minute break for every eight hours of driving time. If you’re not used to those kinds of road trips, you should consider a more realistic approach to breaks, which would be 45 minutes of rest for every four hours of driving.
Why Breaks Matter
It takes years of experience to build up a resistance to long-distance travel. For most drivers, a long-distance road trip might happen once a year. While there is a lot of excitement around taking these kinds of trips, they can also pose challenges to your well-being and safety. Here’s what can happen if you’re on the road for long stretches:
General Fatigue
Although you might be driving 55 mph, your body tends to slow down on long-distance trips. That can lead to general physical and mental fatigue, which can impair your response time and impact your ability to focus.
Stiffness and Discomfort
No matter where you’re sitting, if you stay in one position for extended periods, you can experience stiffness, discomfort, and muscle cramps that can last long after you get up to stretch.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Prolonged immobility increases the risk of DVT. This is a condition where blood clots form in deep veins. That can lead to potentially serious health issues. It is one of the reasons you’re recommended to get up and walk around when flying.
Signs of Fatigue
Are you feeling tired at this moment? Those same signs of fatigue you can experience at your desk at work or relaxing at home you can recognize when driving long distances. If you experience any of these signs when you’re behind the wheel, you need to consider taking a break.
- Yawning and Eye Discomfort
- Difficulty Focusing
- Impaired Reaction Time
- Frequent Blinking and Heavy Eyelids
- Drifting Between Lanes
These signs of fatigue often increase the longer you stay on the road without a break. All of that can lead to dangerous driving conditions that can lead to a car accident.
Road Trip Safety Tips
A lot of the planning for your road trip can be focused on the destination. You’ll need to work out where you’re staying, who you might visit, local attractions, and the new dining experiences. You should devote the same amount of attention to your actual driving time. Here are the road trip safety tips you can put into action for your next journey:
Plan Your Route and Schedule
You might rely on GPS map apps when planning your next long-distance road trip. Those will provide you with the estimated travel time and give you a good sense of when you should be stopping for a break. They can also identify attractions and places to eat. Those can all be your “targets” for taking a break from driving.
Prioritize Restful Sleep
When you fly, you have the option to grab a nap. Some flyers might even sleep for the entire flight. You don’t have that luxury when you’re driving. Instead, you need to start your trip fully energized. That means getting adequate sleep the night before your trip.
Stay Hydrated and Snack Smart
Experiencing thirst from dehydration and pangs of hunger can contribute to fatigue. To stay hydrated and maintain your energy levels, you should have water and healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, and granola bars at the ready.
Use Caffeine the Right Way
Pulling over for a cup of coffee can provide a much-needed jolt of caffeine to keep you alert. While that might be effective in the short term, drinking a lot of coffee can mess with your sleep schedule later in the trip.
Take Turns Driving
If you’re sharing the trip with other licensed drivers, you should take turns behind the wheel. That can reduce fatigue and keep everyone alert when needed.
Listen to Your Body
Your body tells you when you’re thirsty and hungry. It also tells you when you need rest. If you’re experiencing those signs of fatigue mentioned above, you should pull over to take a power nap. A twenty- or thirty-minute nap can provide you with the boost you need to stay alert on the next leg of your trip.
Avoid Driving During Peak Your Sleep Time
You might think that driving overnight will mean avoiding traffic. While that might be true, it could also increase your risk of falling asleep at the wheel. Your body has already been locked in an internal sleeping schedule. If you force yourself to stay awake when you’re normally sleeping, it could lead to extreme drowsiness.
Drowsy driving might become a factor in an accident that you’ve been involved in with another motorist. If it can be found that the driver was asleep at the wheel, it could be an indication of negligence. The Peterson Law Office is very familiar with this kind of scenario.
We have helped many clients who have been the victim of car accidents involving drowsy drivers. Our goal is to hold the at-fault driver accountable for their actions. If you suspect drowsy driving as an issue, we want to hear from you.
