On a road trip, the driver's sleep comes first. The Highway Code warns that driving when tired greatly increases your risk of a collision. The rest of the trip's sleep is much easier to put right.
Road trip sleep in brief
Don't start a long drive tired. Take a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours, and avoid long journeys between midnight and 6am. If you feel sleepy, stop in a safe place, never an emergency area or hard shoulder. Have two cups of coffee and a short nap. If you're still tired, stop for the night. Opening a window or turning up the radio is no substitute for rest.
Plan breaks every two hours and avoid driving in the small hours
The Highway Code, rule 91 says driving when tired greatly increases your risk of collision.1 Don't begin a journey if you're tired, and get enough sleep beforehand. An early arrival isn't worth cutting your sleep short.
RoSPA says the risk is greatest on long motorway and other monotonous drives, between 2am and 6am and between 2pm and 4pm, after less sleep than usual, after alcohol, when taking medication that causes drowsiness, and after long shifts or night work.2 Before a long drive:
- A full night's sleep behind you
- Breaks planned: at least 15 minutes every two hours
- No long stretches of driving between midnight and 6am
- No alcohol, and nothing you're taking makes you drowsy
- Somewhere you could stop overnight
If you feel sleepy, stop, have two coffees and nap
RoSPA says to stop in a safe place, drink two cups of caffeinated coffee and take a short nap. If you still feel tired, find a safe place to stop overnight. Opening a window or turning up the radio may feel like it helps for a moment, but is no substitute for rest.
Stop somewhere safe, drink two cups of coffee and take a short nap.
If you feel sleepy, stop in a safe place. Do not stop in an emergency area or on a hard shoulder of a motorway.
Passengers can sleep, but the driver can't
It's fine to settle down for a rest when you're a passenger, and bringing one of your pillows from home makes that easier. Sharing the driving lets each driver take proper breaks.
Bring a pillow from home so passengers can rest, and share the driving so each driver gets proper breaks.
Stop overnight when a break isn't enough
If you continue to feel tired, RoSPA's advice is to find a safe place to stop overnight. I wouldn't rely on anything but a proper night's sleep to put tiredness right for the next day's drive. Build a possible overnight stop into a long route before you set off, so you've allowed for it if you need it.
Daytime sleepiness that doesn't go away needs a doctor
Seek medical advice if you have persistent tiredness, excessive daytime sleepiness or a suspected sleep disorder. RoSPA says sleep apnoea can leave drivers excessively tired during the day and increase their risk of a collision. This isn't something to just put up with. Our guide to snoring and sleep apnoea explains more.
Questions people ask about driving tired
The Highway Code recommends a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving. Choose your stopping places before you go so you're not searching for somewhere at the last minute. Include those breaks when you work out your arrival time.
Coffee is only a short-term measure when you're sleepy at the wheel. RoSPA's advice is to have two cups of coffee with a short nap. If you're still tired, stop overnight. Don't use the number of coffees you've had to judge whether you're fit to continue driving.
RoSPA says the risk is greatest between 2am and 6am and between 2pm and 4pm. The Highway Code says to avoid long journeys between midnight and 6am. Check where the afternoon stretch falls in your itinerary as well as whether you'll be driving overnight.
