MOTORING
‘‘Unlike the effects of alcohol, however, tiredness and its possible consequences for road users are much harder to quantify and measure’’
and not for the better! Whether we like to admit it or not, tiredness makes most of us grumpy or, in some cases, aggressive which all adds up to a potentially compromised driver.
Unlike the effects of alcohol,
however, tiredness and its possible consequences for road users are much harder to quantify and measure. Unless you have an identified sleep disorder, such as sleep apnoea, which requires you
Ford is taking this question very seriously and has commissioned a special sleep suit to demonstrate the physical effects of excessive tiredness on driving ability. Developed by the
MeyerHentschel Institute, the suit is fitted with weights to mimic the leaden effects of lethargy but it’s the sophisticated special goggles that are the piece de resistance of the whole ensemble.
‘‘Ford has
commissioned a special sleep suit to demonstrate the physical effects of excessive tiredness on driving ability’’
to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the onus is on individual drivers to know their limits in every sense and not under-estimate the impact of feeling weary.
But how do you judge your own fitness to drive based on how tired you happen to feel? By way of a wake-up call, car manufacturer
Connected to a smartphone app, the goggles can be set to simulate the brain shutting down and the driver effectively seeing nothing ahead of them for half a second, then for increasingly longer periods, up to ten seconds. Worn together with the specially designed cap, vest, arm and ankle bands - with a combined weight of more than 18 kilogrammes - the overall effect offers an insight into the degree to which tired drivers are impaired. Ford now intends to incorporate the sleep suit into its Driving Skills for Life course, a free training programme for 17- to 24-year- olds, to warn young drivers of the dangers. We can’t all try out the suit of course so taking on board some facts and figures from DVLA should give us all something to think about before we hit the gas. DVLA says that up to one fifth of accidents on motorways and other monotonous types of roads may be caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel and 18 to 30-year-old men are more likely to drop off when driving late at night. It cites modern lifestyles such as early morning starts, shift work and late-night socialising as major factors that interfere with getting enough rest.
It also points out that natural sleepiness occurs after eating a large meal and that changes in body rhythm produce a natural increased tendency to sleep between midnight and 6am and from 2pm to 4pm. Prescribed or over-the-counter medication can also cause sleepiness as a side effect so always check the label. So be aware of the dangers, look out for the warning signs and see if you can make 2019 the year to take things down a gear.
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