Fatigue and distracted driving are some of the leading causes of road accidents today. According to some recent studies, it has been shown that having many hours of night sleep may still be unhelpful if you are not planning your sleep schedule well as a driver.
Maintaining a regular sleep habit is as important as having an adequate number of hours for sleep. If you are a driver, you must have at least 7-9 hours of night sleep every day to ensure you remain focused on the road and prevent any accidents. If you involve in a car accident, you should not hesitate to contact Chicago Car Accident Lawyer to represent you in court and speed up your claims.
Sleep is important for drivers.
Adults need at least 7-9 hours of night sleep daily to remain active and productive during the day. When drivers don’t get enough sleep for long periods, their alertness and concentration are greatly affected.
The neurons in the brain stop functioning properly if you don’t get enough sleep, which can often result in temporary mental lapses and reduced reaction times. We all need quality and scheduled sleep most of the time. However, in some occupations like driving, reaction time is the most important. If a driver falls asleep when on the steering, it can often result in accidents, and the consequences are severe.
A recent survey has been established that fatigue-related issues usually cause one out of six fatal accidents resulting in serious injuries and death. At least 40% of those involved in these accidents are commercial drivers. It means most career drivers are not taking sleep that serius.
Shift work amongst drivers is another issue that limits the hours drivers can assign for good night sleep. Most drivers are not going to have regular work patterns on shifts, which makes it a bit hectic for them to plan a regular sleep routine.
How can drivers get enough sleep?
If drivers want to reduce accidents, they should always ensure they get enough night sleep. Sleep quality is important for any driver struggling to focus on the steering. Here are some things drivers can do to improve the quality of sleep they have:
- Ensure you have the right beddings in place, and that includes mattress pillow and bedsheets.
- For a shift worker, if you are going to drive during the day, you can use blackout blinds and curtains to ensure you get enough sleep.
- Use daylight lamps to boost natural waking if you sleep during the day.
- Reduce the light in your bedroom. The darker your room, the better sleep quality you have at night.
- Know what keeps you awake. For some people taking caffeine or alcohol two hours before bed can keep them awake for long. Some people are more sensitive and fall asleep as soon as they get to bed. Therefore, drivers should know their bodies and avoid things that they know will keep them awake at night.
