Fatigue is one of the most common causes of serious accidents, and drivers often underestimate it. This lesson explains how to recognise it, how to guard against it, and what the Labour Code says about rest.
How fatigue shows
- yawning, heavy eyelids, burning eyes,
- trouble keeping direction, varying speed,
- "dropping out" of attention: you cannot remember the last kilometres,
- missing or overshooting an exit, braking late,
- irritability and difficulty concentrating.
A microsleep lasts a few seconds. At 130 km/h that means over a hundred metres with no driver. An open window, a loud radio or coffee do not remove fatigue, they only mask it for a moment. The only thing that helps is sleep.
What to do when you feel tired
- Stop in a safe place (a rest area, a car park), not on the hard shoulder of a motorway.
- Take a nap of about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Walk around and drink something.
- If the tiredness lasts, do not continue: stay overnight or ask for a replacement driver. The worst thing is to push on "on willpower".
Expert advice is to take a break roughly every two hours of driving. The law sets no fixed compulsory break for car drivers; it is a recommendation, not a legal duty. Special rules apply to professional drivers, which this course does not cover.
Rest under the Labour Code
What matters is rest between shifts. Under § 90 of the Labour Code, an employee must have at least 11 hours of uninterrupted rest within 24 hours between the end of one shift and the start of the next. Plan the trip so that after a long drive you can sleep, and do not drive back at night after a whole day of meetings.
If your employer gives you a trip that cannot be done safely, say so. The employer must assess risks, and if it knowingly ignores them, it is responsible.
Other risks of driving
- Distraction: phone, food, navigation, conversation. One second of inattention at 90 km/h is 25 metres.
- Speed and following distance: in rain and on a slippery road, increase your distance. On a dry road the basic gap is at least two seconds, more in rain.
- Poor visibility: fog, rain, dusk. Use suitable lights and slow down.
- Winter: ice and snow lengthen braking distance many times over. Winter tyres are a necessity, not just a requirement.
- Medication: some medicines (for allergy, pain, anxiety) slow your reactions. Read the leaflet.
- Hurry and stress: they lead to risky overtaking and tailgating. It is better to arrive later and safely.
- Vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, children. The law (§ 5(1)(d)) requires extra care.
Economical and smooth driving
Smooth driving without sudden braking is safer and saves fuel and the vehicle. Distance, anticipation and calm are the best prevention.
Practical rules for long trips
- Set off rested. Do not drive after a night shift or after little sleep.
- On a long route, swap drivers if two colleagues are travelling.
- Avoid driving when drowsiness naturally strikes, especially in the early morning hours and after lunch.
- Have a light meal before the trip, a heavy lunch makes you sleepy.
- Always stop when you are unsure of your attention.
Summary
- You can spot fatigue in time, a microsleep is deadly.
- Only stopping and sleeping helps, not coffee.
- A break roughly every 2 hours is a recommendation; between shifts, 11 hours of rest applies (§ 90 of the Labour Code).
- Distraction, speed, weather and medication endanger the driver. Adapt your driving.