A car carrier driver was driving his vehicle on a national highway. Aware of the danger of driving in fatigue, he still chose to drive at night after the no-entry restriction ended at 10 PM, as the highway crosses through Bangalore city. During the day, instead of resting, he was engaged in other activities like gossiping with friends, cooking, cleaning clothes, and playing cards with other truck drivers.
In the evening, he cleaned the truck’s windshield and lights, checked the tire pressure and battery, and performed a general inspection before starting his journey. His plan was to drive at night and stop at his preferred Rajasthani dhaba, as truck drivers are often very choosy and selective about their stops. The distance was about 160 km.
He began his journey around 10 PM, after the night-time restrictions. After driving for 80 km, he felt tired due to the day’s traffic and activities. The dhaba was still 80 km away, so he continued driving without stopping. By around 2:30 AM, he was just 10 km away from the dhaba when he became extremely sleepy and failed to react to the road hazard. His eyes were closing, and there was no observer or fatigue and driver alert device to warn him.
An oil tanker in front of his truck collided with his vehicle’s rear end due to his fatigue, and he was trapped inside the truck, which caught fire. His death was tragic; he was alive but unable to escape due to the flames. The public was present, but they were helpless. This accident occurred in metro city of India due to late-night driving and fatigue. Read More : The Dangers of Night-time Driving in India: Statistics and Prevention
What is Fatigue? :
Fatigue is a state of mind where your body and mind need immediate rest. It can happen during the day (around 1 to 2 PM after lunch) or at night (from 12 to 5 AM).
There are three stages of fatigue:
- Yawning: is the first stage of fatigue, If you feel like yawning while driving, you should pull over, take a break, and drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic). Also Read :- https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drowsy-driving
- Drowsiness: The second stage of fatigue is dangerous. When you are drowsy, you may not remember the last stop, a near-miss, or anything happening on the road. In this state, you must stop your vehicle and take a nap to recover.
- Micro sleep: In this critical condition, your eyes may close for a few seconds. If you experience micro sleep, you must stop the vehicle immediately, or you may face serious consequences.
Causes of Fatigue:
- Continues Driving
- Driving at night (Curfew Hour-12 to 5Am)
- Lack of sleep (less than 8 hours)
- Dehydration
- Physical & Mental condition
- Poor diet & nutrition
Why Shouldn’t You Drive at Night?
After late-night hours, your body requires proper rest. Driving during these hours increases the risk of fatigue and accidents.
Note: There is no medicine for fatigue. The only solution is proper rest.
Drive safe and stay safe.
