fatigue when driving Page 623

Driver fatigue is the silent assassin of the highway—no bang, just a gentle drift into the wrong lane. If you’re yawning, blinking hard, missing turns or letting your speed wander, you’re done—pull over.

In Australia, plan a break every 2 hours, keep stints to about 8–10 hours max, and avoid the midnight–dawn graveyard shift. Swap drivers, take a 15–20 minute nap, and use caffeine only as a short-lived top‑up, not a hero cape. Drink water, go easy on heavy meals, and if a micro‑sleep flickers, stop immediately—arriving late beats not arriving at all.