Driver Fatigue – How To Keep Teens Safe On Long Drives

Seth Smiley here from the Smiley Law Firm and in today’s edition of the Parents of Teen Drivers Facebook Group, we are discussing an interesting topic, “Driver Fatigue – how to keep teens safe on long drives.”

The teen driving statistics for long drives make for unhappy reading. There are far too many accidents, and fatigue is one of the leading causes.

I am currently on a road trip right now with my wife and kids. We are heading across Texas, and it is an excellent opportunity to discuss the issues with fatigue.

How many hours is it safe for you, or especially your kids, to drive during a road trip?

Truckers have some crazy rules where they can ride for 14 hours straight but then take an eleven-hour break. It is different for regular drivers.

Teen driving laws vary from state to state. Still, on an average road trip for regular people, the rule of thumb is typically around eight hours for one person driving per day, and no more than 500 miles.

It is a good idea to take breaks every two hours for about fifteen minutes. You should also ensure your teen drivers are responsible when they are behind the wheel and doing the things necessary to ensure safety.

There are a lot of crazy people on the roads, so you want to encourage your teenagers to be defensive drivers, make sure their brain is on point, and they focus on what they are doing.

It is always a good idea to tell them to have a friend or someone else ride along with them, so they can divide up the driving time, take a brain break, and get some rest and not get fatigued.

If you have any thoughts or ideas about, “Driver fatigue – how to keep teens safe on long drives” please comment below.