Christmas and New Year holidays or Nataru holidays are celebrated in various ways. One of them is driving a private car and going to exciting places. You can go home to your hometown, take a walk in a familiar place, or explore a new place. Everything is fun.
However, don’t forget that there are potential dangers lurking. As explained by Astra Infra in the 2023 Astra Industrial Journalists Workshop, the biggest accidents on toll roads (tax on location) are rear-end collisions.
This means that the driver is drowsy so that a collision could occur between the nose of the car and the stern of another vehicle.
For this reason, car drivers, including private vehicles, must recognize the symptoms of microsleep.
Illustration of driving while asleep (Flickr/bjornmeansbear) This is a situation where you lose consciousness within seconds but can have an extraordinary impact. Especially if the road conditions are quite congested.
In an instant, when the eyelids close, there is a shift in the vehicle’s trajectory which has the potential to endanger the safety of anyone in the car. And around the car of course.
Summarized from various sources, here are ways to avoid microsleep and still be able to concentrate on the road:
Recognize your physical condition when you are behind the wheel
Have you yawned more than once? Does your neck feel sore? Can’t you concentrate on reading the writing on the highway sign? This is part of a sign of fatigue which can become fatigue if it continues. Drink water and not anything containing caffeine, soda, alcohol or sugar which makes the circulation of body fluids not smooth. Always try to stay hydrated. do activities to stretch your muscles and bones so that your body feels relaxed. those that have not undergone changes, have only been rotated, have the potential to no longer be fresh or fresh. Open the window a little so that air exchange occurs. Is there a smell of cabin freshener or perfume that makes you nauseous or causes certain sensitivities while driving? Look for a solution so it doesn’t make you nauseous or drowsy. Eat a meal or snack if necessary
There are various ways to stay concentrated behind the wheel. If needed, you can eat a light meal or snack to stay focused. However, choose something that is not too filling or distracts you from concentration, such as too hot, too cold, or even too spicy. Candy or sweets could be an option, look for ingredients that are refreshing and not too sweet. Get enough rest before driving long distances
Don’t stay up late, don’t eat too much food, and drink water before driving long distances. One of the keys that can be applied is not sleeping too late.