Drowsy RV Drivers More Dangerous Than Drunk Drivers

Above, the bed in The Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I was driving cross-country to Metropolis, Illinois, I pushed it a little by driving at or near 400 miles a day (sometimes a little more). My drive back to Los Angeles was more leisurely, averaging around 200-250 miles a day. 

Fortunately for me, I was always well rested as I have the odd tendency to sleep better in The Beast than I do at home. I actually got 7-8 hours of sleep every night on the trip. I never did get drowsy during the trip. I enjoyed the scenery as it passed me by.

RV Life posted an article on the importance of getting enough rest before getting behind the wheel in a RV as a drowsy driver is potentially more of a danger to people than a drunk driver.

They wrote:

Even missing just one hour of sleep can make drivers as risky as an inebriated drunk behind the wheel. The study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety states that “Drivers who miss between one to two hours of the recommended seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk for a crash.” Even more surprising was the news by Dr. David Yang, executive director for the foundation, who says: “Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.” 

Just because RVers take their bedroom on the road doesn’t mean they’re less at risk. Effective snoozing doesn’t always come easy at noisy rest areas, brightly lit or busy WalMart camping parking lots and RV parks perched next to interstates or other bustling areas. When a drowsy RV driver gets behind the wheel and commandeers a motorhome or trailer, that person is potentially even more of a risk on the highway than sleep impaired drivers at the wheel of passenger cars. An uncontrolled RV can do far more damage than a sedan.

 To read more, go here.