Concentration and quick reactions are a must for safety on the road. It is quite difficult to be in shape all the time, so each driver has his own ways to combat the loss of strength. But few people think about why drowsiness and absent-mindedness occurs. And meanwhile, the slow reaction can provoke harmless at first glance habits. Which of them undermine the body and eat valuable resources – let’s sort it out.
Table of Contents
Incorrect posture
Doctors and parents did not say for nothing that you should not slouch. Incorrect posture puts more strain on the body. Muscles, joints, and tendons work under increased strain, so much more energy is expended. And when your back is aching, your neck is sore and your feet are sweaty, it’s very difficult to concentrate on the road.
So try to watch your posture. And on long trips, stop and do exercises more often.
Proper breathing
The activity of vital processes in the body is determined by the amount of incoming oxygen. If it is enough, a person stays awake and active for a long time.
If the breathing technique is not correct (shallow breaths), the body gets less oxygen. The rate of internal processes slows down. The body spends extra energy to activate them. The increased energy expenditure leads to fatigue and drowsiness.
Therefore, it is worth learning the correct breathing technique. Or make it a habit to stop periodically to do breathing exercises. The easiest way – several times to breathe deeply through the nose and exhale through slightly compressed lips.
Telephone conversations
According to statistics of causes of accidents, they take the second place after drunkenness. And if the conversation was overpowering or provoked anxiety, the driver will be digesting the details for at least an hour after it was over.
It is better to solve important questions not behind the wheel. Repeatedly proved that during conversations on the phone man becomes more absent-minded, because it is difficult to do two things at once – to watch the road and respond to interlocutor. This consumes significant resources of the body. If a quiet conversation reduces attention by 20-25%, then writing text messages even more distracts from the road. In this case, the risk of failure to cope with the control increases by hundreds of times.
So think about whether or not you should answer the call while driving. Maybe you should call the caller back a little later, when there is a more favorable moment?
Multitasking
It is better to plan your day in advance, rather than sitting behind the wheel – it will not lead to anything good. Firstly, it will distract you from the road. Secondly, some of the planned tasks will simply slip your mind.
Yes, and the very attempt to make a schedule, what and when to do, takes away a lot of energy and adds to the feeling of anxiety. As a result, irritation grows, and attentiveness decreases.
It’s better to solve questions as they arise, and plan things depending on the importance and urgency.
Lack of sleep
To sit behind a wheel in a half-asleep condition is initially to provoke an accident. The sleepless driver is dangerous not only for himself, but also for surrounding people. Delayed reaction does not give the chance to react quickly and adequately to arising threats.
But it’s even more dangerous if the driver falls into a microsleep. An out of control car can fly hundreds of meters in a few seconds. It is good, if there are no turns, obstacles or pedestrians on the way. And what if it crashes into a traffic jam, flies out to the crossroads or a crosswalk? It is frightful to think.
So always get enough sleep, especially before a long journey. And if you feel sleepy on the road, do not persist in the desire to get there. It is better to stop for a nap.
Coffee and energy drinks
Many drivers fight fatigue with tonic drinks. At the same time forgetting that they do not give long-term effect. After a rush of vivacity quickly followed by a decline of strength. And to get in shape, you have to drink energy drink again. And so in a circle.
After a shocking dose of caffeine, the heart beats, hands tremble, attentiveness drops. It is extremely dangerous to drive the car in such condition. Besides, if the employee of traffic police will stop you, he can take you for the admirer of forbidden preparations.
So try not to consume energy drinks without a superfluous need. Especially if your health is not so good.
Music
Many drivers can’t imagine themselves behind the wheel without listening to favorite records or concerts on the radio. The musical background becomes so familiar that they often do not pay attention to it. But the melodies you hear have a strong effect on you: slow melodies relax you and lull you, fast ones tire you.
Music that is playing loudly is also dangerous, as it drowns out external sounds. Because of it, the driver may not hear the warning signals of passing cars or not pay attention to the extraneous sounds in his car.
Snacks While Driving
Few drivers regularly manage to eat a quiet lunch. Most prefer to snack while driving to avoid wasting time.
This way of eating can cause an accident. First, it decreases attention span. Secondly, the risk of accidents increases. For example, the spilled hot drink will force the driver to press the wrong pedal or turn the steering wheel to the other side. And if he suddenly chokes, will not be able to react instantly to the arisen threat.
Talking with fellow passengers
Talking with fellow passengers is not recommended for several reasons. First, the driver will be forced to follow the thread of the conversation. This will distract from the road. Secondly, a simple conversation can turn into a furious argument. Then the driver will switch all attention to the interlocutor. The risk of an accident will increase repeatedly.
In addition, most fellow travelers like to share their experiences, to tell about their own ways to combat fatigue and absent-mindedness. To such advice should be treated very critically. In no case do not immediately rush to test them on their own body. All what you hear should be adapted to yourself, adjusting it to your own personal experience and understanding. Only a small part of advice is useful. Checking all of them without exception takes a lot of time and effort.