Without drinking a drop, the driver may react as if he had 0.5 ppm.

There can be many reasons for fatigue and lack of sleep, but the main one is lack of sleep. The behavior of a sleepy person behind the wheel is just as dangerous as driving a car while intoxicated.

Studies show that people who have not slept for 20 hours behave comparable to drivers who have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.5 ppm.

Lack of sleep is like too much alcohol

Oversleeping and fatigue significantly impair concentration, lengthen reaction time and have a very negative impact on the ability to correctly assess the situation on the road. Alcohol or drugs work in a similar way, says Zbigniew Veseli from the Renault Driving School. Tired and sleepy people have 50 percent slower reactions than well-rested and rested people, and their behavior is similar to drivers who have an alcohol concentration of 0.5 ppm.

Who is at risk of drowsiness

Those most at risk of falling asleep while driving are:

• professional drivers covering hundreds and even thousands of kilometers at a time,

• shift workers getting behind the wheel after the night shift,

• drivers taking sedatives and other drugs that reduce concentration,

• drivers who don’t get enough sleep.

Warning signals

– If you feel that you are beginning to have difficulty concentrating, blinking your eyes more often, and your eyelids are getting heavy, do not hesitate, but stop the vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Ignoring microsleep symptoms can have tragic consequences, safety driving instructors say.

Other symptoms of driving fatigue or microsleep include:

• difficulty remembering what happened on the road in the last kilometers of movement;

• not noticing road signs, signals and exits;

• frequent yawning and eye rubbing;

• problems with keeping the head straight;

• feeling restless and irritable, sudden trembling.

What to do?

In order not to get tired and not fall asleep at the wheel, first of all, you need to get a good night’s sleep before the planned trip. It is estimated that an adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. “However, if we get tired behind the wheel, we can use several ways to avoid dangerous situations on the road,” the instructors say.

If you feel tired and sleepy while driving, remember to:

• stops for short walks (15 min.);

• park in a safe place and take a nap (remember that sleep should be short – no more than 20 minutes, otherwise it can backfire);

• be careful with energy drinks and coffee, as they have a short-term effect and can give a false sense of good physical condition.