subject: Lack Of Sleep & Driving [print this page] While it may not seem like a serious issue, driving with lack of sleep is a serious issue that is often overlooked by most people. Every day we drive when we are tired. And, what happens when we are tired? We often tend to be less attentive. This is a serious issue if you are operating a motor vehicle.
Part of being an effective driver is being alert and attentive at all times. And, when you experience lack of sleep it is difficult to pay attention. This is why people need to think twice about driving with little more no sleep. If you do drive when you are tired you are more likely to make a mistake, react slower, or you could even fall asleep at the wheel.
There is a reason there are restrictions in place to limit how many hours per day a truck driver can spend on the road each day. Lack of sleep and driving is also an issue in the military and this is why the government is taking action by educating us about the dangers it poses. Why do you think we see things like rumble strips on the side of the road? These help to alert drivers if they happen to dose off behind the wheel.
The impact of lack of sleep
Lack of sleep impacts everything that we do. Therefore, it definitely has a significant impact on our ability to be safe and effective first for a number of reasons:
1.It affects our judgement: People often display similar impaired judgement when they are over tired as when they have been driving. Lack of sleep has a large impact on our ability to make decisions, something that we need to be a safe driver. For example, when we are tired we may attempt to make a left turn that we would not attempt when we are not tired.
2.Lack of sleep impacts our coordination: Just like with our ability to perform physical feats, lack of sleep has a negative impact on our coordination when we are behind the wheel. Simple tasks such as operating the windshield wipers or signalling are more difficult when we are not in an alert state.
3.Lack of sleep impacts our reaction time: Reacting in a timely fashion is part of being a good drive. Safe drivers anticipate and are ready to react to anything. When you are tired, your reaction time slows down and sometimes it is only a matter of a fraction of a second that makes the difference when on the road. You must be ready for things like children running out on the road or a vehicle in front of you losing control in poor weather. Lack of sleep just makes reacting to sudden events that much more difficult.
The reality is that there are too many people driving when they are too tired to do so. The more tired you are, the more likely you are to make a mistake. So, before you get behind the wheel, take a look in the mirror and make sure that you are rested enough to be a safe and effective driver.
