Fatigue can be a serious safety issue for drivers of all ages. Test your knowledge by taking this quiz:
01. T or F: On longer expressway trips, you should take a safety stop at least every 2 hours or after 100 miles.
02. T or F: Fatigue does not influence your stopping distance.
03. T or F: Older people are at a higher risk of driver fatigue.
04. T or F: Drivers are more susceptible to fatigue during certain times of the day.
05. T or F: Coffee overcomes the effects of drowsiness while driving.
06. T or F: I can tell when I’m going to go to sleep.
07. T or F: Rolling down my window or singing along with the radio will keep me awake.
08. T or F: Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night.
09. T or F: Wandering, disconnected thoughts are a warning sign of driver fatigue.
10. T or F: A microsleep lasts four or five seconds.
Answers:
01. TRUE: On longer expressway trips, be aware of the onset of fatigue, drowsiness, or just plain boredom-often referred to as “highway hypnosis”. To combat this, try to take a “safety stop” at least every two hours or after 100 miles. If you are traveling with others, change drivers.
02. FALSE: Total stopping distance is the sum of perception distance, reaction distance and braking distance. Fatigue can inhibit your perception and reaction time.
03. FALSE: Clearly, driver fatigue is a concern for everybody. However, according to SleepDeprevation.com, young people aged
04. TRUE: There are certain times of the day and night when our energy levels naturally dip. Between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., drivers are more at risk for experiencing driver fatigue.
05. FALSE: Stimulants are no substitute for sleep. Drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee or cola, can help you feel more alert, but the effects last only for a short time.
06. FALSE: Sleep is not voluntary. If you’re drowsy, you can fall asleep and never even know it. You cannot tell how long you’ve been asleep.
07. FALSE: An open window or the radio has no lasting effect on a person’s ability to stay awake.
08. TRUE: The average person needs seven or eight hours of sleep a night and young people need more sleep than adults.
09. TRUE: If you are driving and your thoughts begin to wander, it is time to pull over and take a break.
10. TRUE: During a “microsleep” of four or five seconds, a car can travel 100 yards or more, plenty of time to cause a serious crash.
