Definition
Drowsiness is a leading cause of serious crashes, especially on long, night-time and motorway trips. Signs include yawning, blinking, loss of concentration, lane drift and «microsleeps» of a few seconds. The only effective solution is to stop and rest; coffee, loud music or open windows mask the issue, they don't fix it.
Key facts
- Stop every 2 hours or 200 km, and any time you notice fatigue.
- A 4-second microsleep at 120 km/h equals 130 m driven without control.
- The two hours before and after sunrise are the most dangerous.
- Medication, even small amounts of alcohol, and heavy meals worsen drowsiness.
Practice real questions on this topic
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In the DGT exam
- As a usual guide, when does blood alcohol concentration tend to reach its maximum after drinking?
- How does cannabis affect driving?
- A tired driver...