There are many important preparations to make before driving. Checking the tire pressure, oil level, counting the wheels, making sure you have some bottled water handy, and compiling the most awesome driving playlist – the list is endless. But although it’s less obvious, getting a good night’s sleep is also vitally important before you slip behind the wheel in the morning, for several reasons. Read on to learn why from our team at DCH Academy Honda.
Good quality sleep is vital for your health, but it’s also important for driving – the last thing you want to do is to fall asleep at the wheel! Although that’s the most dangerous consequence of driving without the benefit of a good night’s sleep, and can result in a serious accident, tiredness can also cause lapses in concentration. The last thing you want when driving a large chunk of metal and glass down a road full of other vehicles going at high speeds is for your attention to wander.
Morning driving can be challenging at the best of times, with low sun threatening to dazzle motorists, and this does not mix well with the bleary vision of someone who has not had a good night’s sleep. Bleary vision is of course another thing that you don’t need when driving.
Also, bear in mind that you may be more tired than you realize. Although you may not feel that you’re quite exhausted enough to fall asleep at the wheel, tired drivers have been known to slip into ‘micro-sleeps,’ losing consciousness for a fraction of a second at a time. That can be incredibly dangerous when taking into account the tiny amounts of time drivers need in order to react to a sudden threat or obstacle when driving.
A major danger of driving when tired is that people don’t acknowledge that their wakefulness will have an impact on their performance. Someone driving while suffering from a dreadful hangover is likely to compensate with sunglasses. Someone driving while nauseous is likely to compensate by driving slowly and defensively, aware they’re not on top form. However, drivers who get behind the wheel on little or no sleep think they’ll be fine if they just grab a coffee on the road, and that’s incredibly dangerous, for all the reasons mentioned above.
No matter how long you have been driving, and however comfortable and confident you feel behind the wheel, driving a car is a complex task which requires your full attention. There’s little point in maintaining the car itself and neglecting your own state so that you become a danger to yourself and other motorists. So before driving, always try to ensure you get a good night’s sleep (some people require less than the traditional eight hours, but that’s a good start) so that you take to the road feeling as rested as possible.
