Tiredness and emotional state

By the end of this topic you can

• You can spot the early signs of tiredness and stop somewhere safe.
• You can plan regular breaks on longer drives.
• You can recognise when stress or anger is affecting your driving and calm things down.
• You can stay calm when another driver behaves badly.

What you need to know and understand

• Driving when tired greatly increases your risk of a collision.
• The Highway Code recommends a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving.
• Avoid long journeys between midnight and 6am, when natural alertness is at its lowest.
• If you feel sleepy, stop in a safe place, but not on a motorway hard shoulder or in an emergency area.
• Strong emotions narrow your attention, so you miss hazards you would normally see.
• Some sleep conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnoea that causes excessive sleepiness, may need to be reported to DVLA.

Warning signs your body is giving you

Tiredness creeps up slowly. By the time you notice it, your driving may already be worse. Treat any of these as a signal to stop at the next safe place.

• Yawning a lot or blinking heavily.
• Drifting in your lane or hitting the edge lines.
• Not remembering the last few miles.
• Missing a turning or a road sign.
• Feeling restless, fidgety or having heavy eyelids.

What helps, and what does not

Opening the window or turning up the music might make you feel more awake for a minute, but it does not fix tiredness. The only real cure is sleep. Get a good night's rest before a long drive, and if you start to feel sleepy, pull in somewhere safe such as a service area and rest.

Long lessons can be tiring too, especially at the start when everything takes concentration. Tell your instructor if you are flagging.

Keeping your head when you feel angry or stressed

Arguments, bad news, exam stress or running late all pull your attention away from the road. Anger in particular makes drivers follow too closely, overtake when it is not safe, or try to teach other people a lesson.

If someone cuts you up or sounds their horn, let it go. Drop back, give them space and do not make gestures or chase them. You cannot control their driving, only yours.

1. Notice the feeling. Tight hands, a racing heart or muttering are clues.
2. Ease off the accelerator and increase your gap to the vehicle in front.
3. Take a few slow breaths and focus on the next hazard ahead.
4. If you are still upset, stop somewhere safe until you have calmed down.

Common mistakes

• Booking a lesson straight after a long shift or late night. Choose a time when you are fresh.
• Pushing on to finish a journey when tired. Stopping for a break is the safe choice, not a weakness.
• Reacting to an aggressive driver. Keep back and let them go.
• Driving straight after an argument or upsetting news. Give yourself time to calm down first.
• Letting passengers wind you up. Ask them to stay quiet while you concentrate.

Test yourself: Tiredness and emotional state

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Tailgating and Road Rage
• Sleep Apnoea, Narcolepsy and Tiredness in GB