When driving on long trips How often should the driver take breaks?

Are you about to take a long drive? During your trip, don't forget to take regular breaks to limit the risk of accidents on the road. How long to stop? What to do during your break? What are the signs that it's time to take a break from the road? Find out everything you need to know.

Taking Breaks on the Road: Why is it Important?

Taking regular breaks during a long journey is essential for safety reasons, whether for you or any passengers accompanying you. Long journeys by car are indeed tiring. Over the hours, the attention of driver’s decreases and fatigue is felt. In certain cases, for example in the event of significant fatigue, it is not uncommon for drivers to experience short moments of drowsiness. These can have harmful consequences, such as an involuntary steering wheel movement or, much worse, a serious accident. To limit the risk of accident, it is recommended to stop every 2 hours and more frequently if you drive at night. If you really do not want to stop so as not to slow your progress, you must give the wheel to another driver if there is one. This is the only case where you can continue the journey without interruption (except for the change of driver).

What are the signs that it's time to take a break from your car journey?

Learn to identify the signs that should motivate a break during a long drive . Stops are necessary in the event of:

1. Drowsiness noted by the driver or passengers,
2. Repetitive yawning,
3. Itchy eyes,
4. Heavy eyelids,
5. Difficulty concentrating,
6. Stare,
7. Pain / stiffness in the neck and / or shoulders,
8. Feeling of discomfort and difficulty finding a comfortable position.

These different signs often appear more quickly when you have late sleep, have been awake for too long or drive between 2h and 5h or between 13h and 15h (these slots correspond to hours of sleep in the first case and hours of digestion in the second). Note that prolonged highway driving also affects attention due to its monotonous nature.

How long should breaks on the road last?

It is recommended to stop for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours. This period can of course be longer when you stop to eat. Depending on how tired you are, you can extend your break times and allow yourself some nap time.

How to organize your breaks well?

Discover some tips for taking your breaks at the right time and in the right places.

Prepare your Itinerary:

Before the day of departure, take the time to locate your route, and why not program your GPS. In particular, be aware of the portions of your journey where the risk of traffic jams is high in order to choose the geographic areas most suitable for stopping. Cut your journey into 2, 3, 4 parts, or even more depending on its length.

Set up Alerts:

In order not to forget to take breaks during the journey, you can set alerts on your phone. Schedule a "wake up call" every two hours. When it rings, immediately seek a break or another place suitable for rest.

Do not Set an Arrival Time:

Focusing on a time of arrival sometimes encourages committing some carelessness on the road, like driving faster than necessary or skipping the break times which are essential to reduce the risk of accident. Do not impose this unnecessary stress on yourself and rather provide a (wide) range regarding the time of arrival. If you are expected, simply send a message during one of your breaks to warn of a possible delay.

For couriers and hauliers, time is important. Deliveries must be completed quickly, and customers take a dim view of goods arriving late. 

However, while sticking to a delivery schedule is important, what is equally vital is that couriers and hauliers break up long journeys. Driving long distances requires concentration, and to maintain that, you will need to take regular breaks to refresh and recharge your batteries.

Making delivery deadlines is important, but risking your personal safety and other road users aren’t worth it. 

If you are driving for a long time, you should aim to stop for a 15-minute break every two hours or so. If you know you will be on the road for a long time; it’s a good idea to plan out your breaks and work out where the most convenient stops are.

Why should I take breaks?

There are several reasons why you should take a break while travelling a long distance to make sure you are in the best possible condition for the journey.

Fatigue reduces reaction times

Taking a break and getting out of your vehicle can allow you to get some fresh air. This reduces the chances of you getting tired behind the wheel. Fatigue can adversely affect your reaction times while driving. A lapse in concentration while drive on a motorway can cause an accident if, for example, a vehicle in front of you slows down quickly and you are slow to react.

You can develop back pain

Sitting stationary in the same seat for hours on end can put a lot of stress on your lower back. You can also experience fatigue in your arms by holding onto the steering wheel for a long period of time. 

Taking a break to stretch your legs can help loosen up your joints and stretch out your back, reducing the risk of pain and damage.

You can nod off at the wheel

This may be the most obvious reason for taking a break, but many drivers will still risk getting in another hour or two on the road. You may think that concentrating so much on driving may prevent you from drifting off to sleep, but it can happen. 

Of course, the consequences of falling asleep at the wheel can be fatal. For the sake of taking 10 or 15 minutes off the road, it is worth it.

When is it a good idea to take breaks?

While you should aim to take a break every couple of hours, it is essential to stop regularly when you find yourself in these situations.

Driving at night

Your body clock is automatically set up to slow things down once the sun goes down. When it’s dark, your body is more likely to crave sleep, and so you will start to feel tired more often when driving at night.

You may want to factor in a quick nap on one of your breaks or grab a cup of coffee to keep your senses alert.

After a big meal

If you have eaten a big meal, you might think that you are good to drive for a few hours non-stop. However, eating and drinking a lot makes it more likely that you will need to stop regularly.

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