You're returning to work after your summer break. During the holidays, hopefully you've had a chance to relax, unwind and chill out after a busy year. Why then, when you should be well rested, do you need to be mindful of fatigue when driving to work?
Driver Fatigue signs are varied and range from daydreaming and lack of concentration through to memory blanks and driving at inconsistent speeds. One of the key factors in extreme fatigue is lack of sleep. During the summer holiday period, with more daylight hours and increased socialising, we often get less sleep than when we are in our work routine.
The symptoms of driver fatigue that can be more common when returning to work are daydreaming and lack of concentration.This is because you haven’t been in 'work mode' for a while. You've still got the chilled-out holiday vibe going on!
Fatigued drivers tend to crash head on at full speed. While driver fatigue is difficult to identify or measure, current research has indicated it could be involved in close to 30% of accidents. So please stay focused and alert and be extra mindful of your driving when returning to work from your holiday.
A few key tips to help reduce chances of daydreaming and lack of concentration are:
· Plan ahead - get back into a routine a few days before returning to work
· Sleep well prior to starting work again
· Circulate fresh air while driving
· Drink Water
Driver Fatigue is one of the hidden killers on our roads, which is why it's included in our Driver Essentials Course.
