Drowsiness is one of the great enemies of driving. According to data collected by the Foundation for Road Safety (Fesvial), between 20 and 30% of traffic accidents are related to sleep and fatigue. One of the accidents that will be counted in the statistics corresponding to 2023 is the one that was registered on March 15, around six in the afternoon, at kilometer point 176 of the A-4 highway, in the municipality of Manzanares ( Real city).
Coincidentally, the images of the spectacular mishap were recorded by reporters from the television program Cuatro al Día and shared by the SocialDrive platform on their Twitter account.
As Alegrando Rodríguez, one of the journalists who witnessed what happened, explained, they were driving along that road when they realized that a vehicle was shaking. It was then that they recorded the erratic movements of the van that went off the road and when the driver tried to regain control, he ended up overturning and hitting the median. Luckily, there was not much traffic and no other vehicles were involved in the accident.
It all happened very quickly right in front of the car that the television crew was driving, which stopped a few meters ahead to go to the aid of the victims, who escaped unharmed with only a few scratches. The reporter explained that he got into the van, loaded with 1,500 kilos of oranges, to open the door so that the two occupants could get out of the passenger compartment.
Apparently fatigue could be the cause of this accident, since one of the occupants told him that they had been picking fruit since 3:00 in the morning and “I fell asleep.” Aware of the problem that drowsiness poses for road safety, car manufacturers have developed fatigue detectors. This technology is one of the driving aids that since July 2022 are mandatory for newly homologated cars.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) warns of the danger of driving while tired. For this reason, he recommends taking a stop on the road when there are any of these symptoms behind the wheel: heavy eyelids, itchy eyes, blurred or double vision, continuous postural readjustments, frequent yawning and lack of concentration.
According to the organization headed by Pere Navarro, the worst hours to drive are between 3:00 and 5:00 in the morning, as well as between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. In any case, it is important to take certain precautions to avoid the appearance of fatigue.
To begin with, you have to go sound asleep and adopt an adequate posture behind the wheel (nothing to recline the backrest as if we were in the seat in the living room). On long trips, it is advisable to make a stop every two hours to get out of the vehicle and stretch your legs. In addition to being well hydrated, it is important to maintain an adequate temperature inside. The heat increases the feeling of tiredness and fatigue, which favors drowsiness. This causes an increase in the driver’s reaction time and a greater propensity for the appearance of distractions.
