Stay Alert Whilst Driving

Staying alert and maintaining your concentration whilst driving is vital. On uncluttered roads it is easy to fall into a false sense of security. As the miles pass without a care you can start driving on autopilot. This however can be dangerous, your concentration will wane and if an emergency suddenly develops the danger is that you will be unable to deal with it effectively.

To keep yourself alert:

- Refrain from driving when feeling tired or emotional. Feeling this way can effect your judgment.

- Keep your stare firmly fixed on the road ahead. Don't let yourself be distracted by the scenery or other sights. Remove your stare from the road whilst traveling at 70mph, even for a second or two and you will have traveled 300 feet without seeing what's ahead of you.

- Consuming food and drink behind the wheel can easily cause you to lose concentration. Opening a awkward pack of sandwiches or fiddling with a bottle top has caused road accidents in the past. If you need to eat or drink then stop and take a break.

- Don't put your car stereo on full volume.

- Don't get into arguments with any passengers you may be carrying.

- When consulting a map always stop and park first.

- Driving when tired is a major cause of death on the road. Crashes involving a driver who has dozed off whilst driving are often serious in nature due to the fact that the driver was not able to take evasive action. If ever you start to feel overly tired when driving you should:

- Get fresh air into the car by opening a few windows. This won't keep you awake if very tired but it will give you time to find somewhere safe to pull over.

- Park somewhere safe and get some sleep. Even a short nap will help.

- Drink some high caffeine drinks. Coffee, most cola drinks and even chocolate all contain caffeine.

- To limit the risk of becoming sleepy behind the wheel:

- Avoid long journeys during the times your body clock has you down for sleep.

- When driving for long periods always take regular breaks. A fifteen minute break every two hours at least.

- Avoid driving for long distances after a poor night's sleep.