Warning against fatigue as thousands hit the road this Labour Day weekend
Posted September 2, 2017 8:16 am.
Last Updated September 2, 2017 8:18 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s the final weekend of the summer vacation, and that has many of us hitting the highway. With as many as 2,000 crashes expected this weekend, ICBC is out with some advice to make sure that road trip is a safe one.
If you really want to be a highway star, why not get your driving out of the way earlier in the day?
That advice comes from ICBC’s Joanna Linsangan, who points out driver fatigue sets in the longer, and later, you’re on the road.
“So, sleepiness can affect people throughout the day, but drivers are more prone to drowsy driving in the late afternoon and late at night. That’s when our body’s rhythm starts to dip and that’s when we start to feel a little bit sleepy.”
According to drivers participating in a recent poll by ICBC, 55 per cent reported to being tired at least some of the time when travelling long distances.
Linsangan says it can be as simple as getting a good night’s sleep, warning drowsy driving can be just as bad as drunk driving.
“Because it slows down your reaction time, you’re not as aware of potential hazards. It can certainly cloud your judgement. On average, we do see about a thousand crashes every year that do involve driver fatigue. So, it’s certainly a serious issue that we do want to highlight, especially for this coming long weekend.”
ICBC predicts up to 2,000 crashes, 520 injuries, and six deaths over the Labour Day long weekend.
