National Safety
Month has begun, so we will start with a little fun. Discover
all we have to say, and remember to check Tip of the Day throughout
the month. A little rhyme for each week is on view, click ahead
to see whats new. Keep your children safe and sound, in
the car and on the playground. Keep yourself healthy and wise,
wear sunscreen, and protect your eyes. Keep job hazards at bay,
stay safe at your job while you work each day.
For more information
on driving safety: http://www.nsc.org/nsm/drive.htm
Driving Safety
Week- June 2-8
Driver
Fatigue During Travel
The holiday
season is a time when people are doing a lot of highway driving
and one thing to be aware of is driver fatigue. It is one of the
most unnerving experiences in driving. You've been on the road
awhile. The highway seems endless-long, smooth, monotonous. The
car interior is warm. You're tired, the radio isn't holding your
attention, and neither is the driving. You stare straight ahead
at miles and miles of road as you start to feel your shoulders
sag and your eyes slowly
start
close.
Abruptly,
you open your eyes and jerk up in your seat. You've started to
drift out of your lane, or maybe even off the road but steer your
car back into the lane, take a few deep breathes and realize fearfully
what just happened. You were asleep.
Fatigue on
the road can be a killer. It happens frequently on long rides
especially long night drives. You may have recognized some warning
signs of fatigue in the foregoing scenario. Other signs of fatigue
include back tension, burning eyes, shallow breathing, inattentiveness
and any kind of erratic driving such as drifting, abnormal speed,
tailgating, or failure to obey traffic signs.
One cause
of fatigue is alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a depressant and
a driver doesn't have to be drunk to fall asleep at the wheel.
Even one drink can be enough to induce fatigue.
Another culprit
is the nature of modern highway driving. Most car interiors have
comfortable cushioned seats, in quiet carpeted temperature-regulated
environments. Many vehicles have cruise control. Most major roads
have been engineered to eliminate sharp curves, hills and bumps.
Ironically these designs for comfort contribute to falling asleep
at the wheel.
Additionally,
dull landscapes, the droning of tires and engines, and the repetitive
patterns of oncoming headlights, trees, poles, and highway center
lines can lead to a dangerous trance-like state known as "highway
hypnosis," which deadens drivers' senses and slows their
reaction time.
Fatigue behind
the wheel is a very real danger, even if you've never experienced
it firsthand. The National Safety Council offers these tips for
staying awake while you're driving.
-
An obvious cause of fatigue is lack of sleep. If you haven't
received seven or eight hours of sleep the night before a trip,
you are courting with fatigue. Get enough rest and don't start
a trip late in the day. Long distance driving is hard work and
you need to be fresh and alert.
-
If possible, don't ride alone, passengers can take turns driving
and also serve as conversation partners to keep you awake.
-
Avoiding rides at night. The glare of lights both on your dashboard
and outside your car increases the danger of highway hypnosis.
-
Adjust
your car's environment so that it helps keep you awake and alert.
Keep the temperature cool, the radio volume up and switch stations
frequently but avoid soft music, do not use cruise control,
feel your body involved with the driving.
-
Watch
your posture, drive with your head up and your shoulders back,
tuck your buttocks against the seat back, legs should not be
fully extended but level at about a 45-degree angle.
-
Take frequent breaks, at least every two hours, stop at a gas
station, restaurant or rest stop, get out of the car, walk around,
even jog or do calisthenics. Exercise fights fatigue.
-
In addition to the exercise breaks, stop for light meals and
snacks. Avoid alcohol entirely.
-
Don't
allow your eyes to become fatigued or hypnotized, wear sunglasses
to block glare (but never wear sunglasses at night).
-
If
anti-fatigue measures fail and you start noticing the danger
signs of fatigue, then there is only one solution. Sleep. Find
a safe, guarded rest area, truck stop, or service station. Even
a 20-minute nap may refresh you enough to get to a hotel or
motel. (This is an emergency maneuver. Do not try it as a common
driving technique).