Driving is a complex task and there is no going around it. Paying attention to different things at once, moving at a very high speed, having to control and adapt to several parameters to maintain safe… Not to mention how difficult it can be to park in crowded spaces! All of these things require us to be alert and ready to react at a moment’s notice, or else the consequences can be very expensive or painful.
Why You Should Avoid Getting Behind The Wheel
And despite all the regulations, vehicle safety checks, and educational videos, accidents happen all the time, mostly due to a human factor, and sometimes because of bad weather conditions. With this in mind, every driver should be aware of a few key things they can avoid to make their driving much more secure.
Fatigue
Tiredness, even if it doesn’t equal sleepiness, is a serious issue when it comes to road safety. The negative impact drowsiness can have on the driver’s ability to concentrate on what is going on can have lethal consequences to both them and others.
Truck drivers are a special case, as the accidents they cause can be much more serious than those with normal-sized cars. If you have been a victim of fatigued truck driving accidents in Las Vegas, Nevada you might consider taking legal actions against not only the driver but the company they are working for, too.
Disorientation
Disorientation, in this sense, is defined as not being able to determine your surroundings and where you are supposed to go. While this often happens to young and inexperienced drivers, it can happen to seasoned ones as well, especially if they find themselves in an unknown place.
For example, when driving for the first time in a new city, it can be very stressful to know where to turn while being pressured by fast traffic and impatient drivers. To counter this, you can use a GPS guiding system, though even such modern technology is not a good replacement for simply parking somewhere convenient and taking time to consult a map or a passerby.
Hungover
Although the exact chemistry behind them is not entirely figured out, we know that hangovers are mainly caused by excessive alcohol drinking. It is well established that drunk driving is a serious threat to road safety and is, therefore, a serious offence, punishable by jail time. Though what happens if we’re not drunk anymore but still feel the consequences of it?
Being hungover has many of the negative effects of being drunk, though it lacks in giving us energy. People also tend to be very slow to react and are ill-tempered when hungover, all things that are better to be treated with sleep and liquids, instead of driving.
Muscle Soreness
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS for short) is a side effect of the stress put on the muscles while exercising or performing heavy labour. That is something athletes are all too well accustomed to, but also something everyone experiences once in a while. Among many symptoms, DOMS is characterized by pains to move certain muscles, stiffness of movements, and a general lack of energy.
All of these things on their own are nothing too serious when it comes to driving, but combined can lead to very unpleasant situations on the road. It is advisable to take painkillers if the soreness becomes too much and to also avoid driving if possible.
Anger or Fear
The psychological condition of the driver, even if all other factors are accounted for, is the most important thing to consider before getting behind the steering wheel. When experiencing strong emotions we have a hard time thinking rationally and coming to sound decisions. That is to say, we might think those are sound decisions, but once we cool our heads, we usually change our minds.
Among the worst emotions, one can have while driving is fear and anger. Fear is the mind-killer, goes the saying, and it really is so that frightened people will drive much more insecurely and cause problems on the road than those who feel normal.
Out of many things we feel and experience during the day or week, most of them are rather harmless to us and others. But a select few can cause such a strong reaction, or such a slow reaction in fact, that while being under their influence can be outright lethal if you are driving. So take note and take care of yourself and others.