Has anyone here ever crashed or nearly crashed their car from zoning out/driving while fatigued? Is driving while fatigued not talked about enough?

[Anonymous]

I feel like I always hear from people how people that get in accidents are idiots and they’re not paying attention to the road and doing their due dilligence.

But I’ve had probably 6 close calls over my 6 years of driving where I’ve literally NEARLY crashed my car. Mostly from zoning out but there was this one time where it was because I went to change the radio station for less than half a second.

Reasons like that I feel play a factor too.

Anyway, I feel like its just not talked about enough. Driving while fatigued.

I mean driving while fatigued is honestly really f^cking bad.

For me personally pretty much all of my “nearly crashed” instances were me driving home from work after like a 10 hour day, stuck in traffic with like a 1+ hour drive home working in 95 degree heat all day, dehydrated, and just genuinely tired.

The others were other drivers that nearly crashed into me, and quite possibly for the same reasons I’ve nearly crashed into other people.

There was this one time also I was feeling really tired and said I didn’t want to go to my Karate class but my Mom told me to leave the house anyway and next thing I know I’m snapping back into reality after zoning out and I realize I’ve turned off my street and I’m sandwitched in between two cars with like half a foot in space in front and in back of me. It was in that moment I realized I f^cked up and I turned off my street without even looking.

The worst case of all though was the time I was speeding up but I didn’t detect the car in front of me slowing down and so I literally had to break so hard last minute that my tires lost traction and skidded several feet and the rubber burning made this ear-splitting sound.

[AviatorTom]

No, but I came close once. I was near the end of a very long drive (about an hour away from my destination), and it was after midnight. I recognized I was tired and pulled into a rest area to take a 15-minute nap in the car, and woke up 3 hours later, where I finished the drive.

[Caroline91]

I'd add one more instance for when not to drive... right after having an argument with your boyfriend/girlfriend. That'll zone you out. Once when I was 19, I was furious with my boyfriend when I got in my car to drive home. I was driving under a freeway overpass on a curve and there were huge concrete pillars off to the side of the road. The curve was marked 35 mph and as I felt my car starting to slide off the road, I looked down and I was doing 70 and one of the concrete pillars was coming right at my face. I hit the brakes as hard as I could and the car started to spin. I think I went around 3 times, which is what kept me from plowing into the pillar. Anyway, I actually burned my brakes out. Thankfully, it was about 2 in the morning and there wasn't any other traffic on the road at that time. When I stopped shaking, I sloooowly drove under the overpass, got off and took surface streets home, using my emergency brake.

[sheikalana]

I've never hit nor been involved in a car crash accident. Driving while fatigued should be addressed as much as driving while drunk.

[genericname85]

No. The only "almost crash" situation I ever had was when I realized too late on the highway that the people in front of me were not breaking to go slower. They were completely stationary because of a traffic jam. Also I live in Germany. I don't think I need to tell you what that means right?

[Asker]

I dont understand

[genericname85]

you mean the almost crash thing or the german thing?

[Asker]

German thing

[genericname85]

well we have stretches of highway that aren't speed limited. so not realizing that the cars in front of you are standing still is far less problematic with 80 mph than it is with 120+ xD

[Asker]

Oh damn. That’s true

[Artificial Intelligence]

Diving into the heart of driving while fatigued, it's a reality many of us face but rarely give the spotlight. Your experiences sound like a real rollercoaster, not the fun kind, but the kind that gives a chilly reminder of how important it is to listen to our bodies. Isn't it fascinating how we can push ourselves to the limit, insisting on 'just one more mile', only to find our bodies screaming back in protest? Your tales of near-misses are the perfect wake-up call that driving isn't just about navigating roads, but also about navigating our own well-being.

The truth is, driving fatigued is like walking a tightrope without a safety net, where zoning out even for a 'half a second' to switch radio stations can have heart-pounding consequences. Your karate class story? A vivid illustration of how our minds can take unplanned detours when we're running on empty.

It's an eye-opener, really. The roads we travel aren't just paved with asphalt, but with the decisions we make before we even put the key in the ignition. So, let's bring more attention to the silent road hazard that is fatigued driving. After all, the most important trips we undertake are the ones that bring us back safe and sound. Let's promise to make rest a priority, not just for the sake of our schedules, but for the heartbeats that rely on us off-road as well. Safe travels, friend!

[Asker]

Most definitely. Its just really bad to drive while fatigued

[msc545]

I was driving from SF to LA one late night and found myself making deals with myself about how often and how long my eyes could be closed. I quickly found a rest stop and slept for about 4 hours. Scared the hell out of me!

[Asker]

No wonder you been having trouble with women like me. Cali girls suck XD

[msc545]

Apparently you've never had a California girl...

[Staximus]

I feel asleep behind the wheel on interstate 5 going through Oregon in the middle of the night. I was woke up by the dunk bumps on the shoulder, going 90 towards some giant trees and was able to save myself from a sure death.

[exitseven]

Yes, several times. Once i woke up bouncing around the the median strip;

[AngryCarl]

I've had some nasty moments when I was taking meds that made me drowsy. It's not a good feeling struggling to keep your eyes open knowing that if you nod off you could die.

[DrPepper12]

Yeah. I don't do long distance driving any more. I can't. I'm a danger from fatigue.

[nevooo]

Nope, when I zone out I’m somehow more focused and aware, when I’m tired I just pull over and sleep.

[RossyBoi]

I passed my driving test last month. Got my licence 3 weeks ago. Sent it back today.