A crash recently took the life of a young man, an acquaintance of the family. His car failed to negotiate a corner, continuing straight across the centre line into a bus travelling in the opposite direction.
No one on the bus was seriously injured, but the only occupant of the car was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The accident occurred on a bright, pleasant summer day. Witnesses reported speed was not an issue, but that the driver appeared to slump over the wheel just prior to the crash.
The best guess is he had fallen asleep. He was one of the many young people today who find it necessary to work several jobs and was on his way home after working all night for a rest before heading out to his day job.
It's hard to picture a more dramatic way to emphasize the problem of driving and fatigue.
Today's society has many working harder for longer hours. Downsizing, working from home or the vehicle is much more common. Driving represents not only freedom and control, it is an economic necessity that enables many to get to or conduct business.
With these extended hours at the wheel, comes an increased risk of fatigue -- one of the main causes of death and injury on the roads.
Statistically, fatigue is thought to be a factor in as high as 40 per cent of fatal crashes in the United States. Studies in France showed that during the period from 1979 to 1994, 30 per cent of crashes that nation's highways were caused by fatigue.
This has become a major public health issue. The European Union estimates more than $110-billion is spent each year on the medical treatment of people injured in accidents. And a mere 5-per-cent reduction in crashes would mean 2,500 fewer deaths and 75,000 fewer injuries in the EU alone.
Driving is an complex task, requiring the very best of our sight, reflexes and experience.
Even if we do not fall asleep at the wheel, fatigue makes it difficult to focus and react to driving situations. Our eyes may be open and seeing something, but the report to the brain is either slow in delivery or arrives at a closed door.
We can be staring right at a problem and, due to fatigue, take virtually no evasive action.
Who among us are likely candidates? Statistics show drivers over 45 have fewer night-time crashes, but are more likely to be involved in a crash in mid-afternoon.
Drivers under 30 are thought to account for almost two-thirds of drowsy driving crashes, despite making up only one-quarter of the licensed driver population. Twenty is the age of peak occurrence in drowsy driver crashes.
Truck and other professional drivers are prime prospects due to the amount of time at the wheel. Shift workers are also at increased risk, especially those on rotating schedules.
What should we look for? Fatigue is insidious, it catches you unaware. As you become drowsy, the eyelids droop or close, the grip on the steering grip slackens, speed varies as the leg relaxes (usually dropping in higher-speed situations and increasing in slower urban areas). The car's position on the road or within the lane becomes erratic.
One of the first signs is memory lapse. Have you ever had to ask yourself, "Where am I?" Have you found yourself wondering how you passed a certain landmark without recalling it? From this point on, your driving starts to deteriorate.
The third stage occurs when everything gets very quiet and you actually fall asleep. Some drivers report hallucinations at this stage: moose or other objects on the road that do not actually exist.
So what's a driver to do?
Sleep is the perfect solution, but there are many others, such as: Avoiding alcohol or other medications that cause drowsiness; having someone in the vehicle to monitor you and share the driving; having a designated driver; using public transportation or car pooling; drinking caffeinated beverages for a short-lived stimulus; and eating invigorating fruits and vegetables rather than greasy foods.
We tend to get cold at the onset of fatigue and turn up the heat. Avoid this and turn the temperature down. It is hard to nod off with the air conditioning set to the meat locker position. If you don't have AC, open a window.
Pick a radio station, tape or CD you despise and play it loudly. Be aware of changes in your schedule and avoid using cruise control.
If required to drive long distances under monotonous conditions, take frequent breaks and be aware of your personal circadian rhythm, the time of day when you are most likely to nod off.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of fatigue, avoid scenarios leading up to them and be prepared to pull off the road and rest. The life you save is likely to be your own.
Halifax-based Richard Russell
runs a driving school
