Now that we are starting spring, the good weather, and, with it, the long-awaited vacations or festivities, it is not convenient to rush the car to our destination if we are very tired or stressed. All the studies speak of the risk of driving under stress, of the changes that occur, often without us being aware, when fatigue and stress take over our body and mind. A risk that increases our chances of suffering an accident by up to 28%.
For this reason, and according to a study carried out by BP, Castrol and RACE, if we are going to take the car these days, it is convenient to take into account what and in what way stress affects us when we drive and think a little if it is not appropriate wait a day or two to recover before starting the march. First, a 12% reduction in concentration, which translates into a 30% increase in decision-making time.
Also a 66% reduction in the ability to remember the journey made, both in short and long-term memory. In fact, a driver in a state of stress remember 20% less traffic signs compared to normal driving.
Like a decrease in the perception of risk, increasing by 17% the number of sudden maneuvers carried out and accelerations. As well as a 12% increase in their level of frustration compared to a normal state, compared to the desire to finish the journey in less time.
Similarly, an increase in muscle tension of more than 50% when driving, which is why an increase in driver fatigue levels of more than 80% has been detected, even in the case of a short journey.
Finally, a decrease in your field of vision, essential for safe driving. The results show how a stressed driver suffers from what is known as the ‘tunnel effect’, which increases as speed increases. The ‘heat maps’ obtained during stress-free driving indicate that the driver benefits from greater peripheral and homogeneous vision, which allows him to pay more significant attention to external elements such as signs, traffic environment, intersections, etc., as well as greater attention to the mirrors, instrument panel and vehicle controls.
On the contrary, in driving with stress, the tests show that there is less peripheral vision, based on a vision due to impacts and attention only to the central area, paying little attention to external elements: signs, traffic, intersections, people, and an almost non-existent attention to the rear view mirrors of the vehicle.