Microsleep: Underestimated Danger
All content is checked by medical journalists.MunichFatigue behind the wheel can be dangerous. Sleep attacks lasting seconds caused more fatal accidents than alcohol, according to an expert from the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM).
It is well known that alcohol limits the ability to drive. Few people are aware that the effects of tiredness can be similarly fatal: According to ADAC, 17 hours without a break in sleep affects people in a similar way to an alcohol level of 0.5 per mille. Anyone who does not lie down for 24 hours has to struggle with consequences that are comparable to 1.0 per mil.
Two to three times more fatalities than alcohol
"When you see what society is doing about alcohol and what it is doing to prevent fatigue at the wheel, there is a big discrepancy here," said Dr. According to the Ärztezeitung, Hans-Günther Weeß at the congress of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM), which took place in Cologne in the first week of December.
The expert estimates that the short sleep attacks while driving cause two to three times more deaths in traffic than the luxury food. On German autobahns, for example, nodded drivers are responsible for every fourth fatal accident, according to a study.
Am i at risk?
“Only drive a few more kilometers, then I can finally rest” - such slogans for perseverance when driving are not uncommon. The trust in your own abilities to keep the sandman at a distance until you have pulled the key out of the ignition is often not justified.
Naturally, anyone who has to drive at night, i.e. between four and seven in the morning, is particularly at risk. But the afternoon low also bothered many - "This is when most of the fatal accidents take place," Weeß told the Ärztezeitung.
The expert wishes that each individual becomes more sensitive to their own fatigue. Dark red warning signs are, for example, frequent yawning, burning eyes, sudden shivering or an increasingly irritable mood. Anyone who suddenly gets shocked because they have lost sight of the traffic for a moment and even throws the steering wheel at the same time - they could already have fallen victim to a microsleep.
Prevent fatigue at the wheel
The ADAC has a few tips on hand on how not to let fatigue get the upper hand when driving. This includes, for example, only starting a journey well-rested, perhaps even with a short nap just before the journey. Alcohol or certain medications should be avoided entirely. It is often helpful to have small snacks and drink enough. In principle, however, the ADAC recommends taking a short break from driving every two hours.
If you notice that you are still getting tired while driving, tricks such as cold air, caffeinated drinks or loud music do not help much. Consistency can save lives here: sleepy drivers should find a parking space as soon as possible and then simply take a little nap or swap seats with the passenger.
