Driver fatigue, sleep and chaser safety

Bill, thanks for the link. 10-15 years ago I would routinely drive on little sleep (1 to 4 hours' roadside nap) to get to the Plains and back. It was a necessity coming from West Virginia and always chasing solo. I rarely do it these days, mainly because I live much closer to the Plains. I'm also past 40 and my body just doesn't let me do what I used to do when I was younger. Back then, the adrenaline of the upcoming chase was usually enough to get me through the day.

These days I am quick to stop to sleep when I start to feel tired. Planning and outfitting my car for comfortable in-vehicle sleep has really improved that situation for me. I can stop virtually anywhere for a nap or even a full night's sleep. As a result I have all but eliminated sleep deprivation on chase trips, though admittedly I do push it sometimes when I only have a couple of hours more to get home.
 
Sleep is important. I've fallen asleep at the wheel a couple times (lucky to have friends/chase partners wake me up quick) and let me tell you the risk isn't worth it. Nowadays when we make a long distance trip, we fragment the trip enough so we are well rested. Leave home, drive for about 5 hours, get a hotel, then drive the rest in the morning. It helps on the day of the chase too, your mind is sharper, and your thoughts more clear on a full night of sleep in a hotel bed versus the back of a car. My point? Don't push yourself to drive 10+ hours all at once, think ahead and make it easier on your body, you will be thankful for it later....plus less safety risks. You can't enjoy yourself if you don't get there safely....
 
I chased solo for the majority of this year and one of the biggest mistakes I made was not having any sort of post-chase plan. Too many times I ended the day further out than I thought I'd be and would decide to head for home anyway , hours later realizing that I was too tired to make it. I'd have to find a place to stay nearby (if that was even an option) and hope they had something affordable. Of all the mistakes I made this year, this is probably the one that sticks with me the most.

Dan Robinson said:
Planning and outfitting my car for comfortable in-vehicle sleep has really improved that situation for me. I can stop virtually anywhere for a nap or even a full night's sleep. As a result I have all but eliminated sleep deprivation on chase trips, though admittedly I do push it sometimes when I only have a couple of hours more to get home.
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This is what I'd like to eventually do, but I'm 6'5" and my little Hyundai Sonata feels impossible for me to sleep in. So I keep asking people I know if I can try laying down in their minivans to test them out. o_O
 
As someone who drives for a living, this is something I deal with on a regular basis. I know my limits and have no issue pulling off, but there are a lot out there who either don't know their limits or don't care.

It doesn't help that my current company doesn't install APUs and the like to keep the sleeper berth at a comfortable temperature, nor do they allow us to idle and keep the HVAC running if it's between 20 and 70 Fahrenheit.

For that reason, I almost never leave as soon as my required 10 hours off duty are up unless I'm under a time crunch or was able to sleep that whole 10 hours.

Fortunately, when chasing, it's a lot easier to find a place to pull over even in the dead of night, because I can pull my pickup into a lot more places than I can my semi. Those places also don't fill up by 6 or 7 pm the way truck stops and truck friendly rest areas do as far as truck parking is concerned.

10 years in the Army really took a lot out of me, so even with me only turning 30 next spring, I don't push it nearly like I did when I was in the military.

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Yeah I really try to just get rest nowadays. Usually its in a hotel, but I've pulled off and napped before when alone. Trading drivers is also great. Jari drove us home from Big Spring, TX to Norman on 5/22, and was a champion doing so. I imagined he was tired, but he had gotten a lot more sleep than me the night prior and it allowed me to sleep on the way home, which also meant I was good for 5/23 when he was probably a little more tired.

Luckily living in the southern plains has its perks, and I rarely have chase days anymore where I don't go home that night and sleep by a reasonable hour. A few times the schedule has required a late night drive to be home for work, and I've been good to bring someone along with me.
 
Also be careful because it go the other way too. I woke up on Rozel morning and downed about 4 cups of extra bold coffee, followed by a Red Bull and hit the road to KS. I had completely over caffeinated and started getting dizzy behind the wheel. Fortunately, I realized it and had someone else take over the driving. Anyway, be careful out there. The driving is still the most dangerous part of chasing.
 
I've driven some insane miles in one trip, including the Tucson to Amarillo run in one stretch of about 11 hours plus some chasing time. This was when I was younger and did not have money for a motel. I've also chased some hurricanes where I was up for over 48 hours. Any longer than that and you do begin to lose your mind. One thing I've noticed is that some people are more prone to falling asleep while driving than others. My three best friends were killed years ago when the driver fell asleep and rolled the vehicle. I had traveled with the driver before and I knew he had a habit of falling asleep, so I backed out the fatal trip at the last moment. I keep a pillow and blanket in my chase truck now days so if I find myself exhausted, I pull over somewhere safe and sleep. It's also important to keep an eye on the driver if you are a passenger.
 
I used to be able to drive all night and all through the next day into the night! Guess time is catching up. I'm just not that tough anymore.
 
Warren Faidley said:
I've driven some insane miles in one trip, including the Tucson to Amarillo run in one stretch of about 11 hours plus some chasing time. This was when I was younger and did not have money for a motel. I've also chased some hurricanes where I was up for over 48 hours. Any longer than that and you do begin to lose your mind. One thing I've noticed is that some people are more prone to falling asleep while driving than others. My three best friends were killed years ago when the driver fell asleep and rolled the vehicle. I had traveled with the driver before and I knew he had a habit of falling asleep, so I backed out the fatal trip at the last moment. I keep a pillow and blanket in my chase truck now days so if I find myself exhausted, I pull over somewhere safe and sleep. It's also important to keep an eye on the driver if you are a passenger.
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My Dad lost his best friend (and a great guy) when his son fell asleep and rolled the vehicle. Terrible loss! Glad you chose a different ride
 
Back in the day, I would regularly pull 48 hour no sleep trips driving all night and day including chasing. Can't do it anymore. I'm 43, and need my sleep.

One trick I did learn over the years though, is to not drink any soda or sugary drinks, or eat candy, etc.. The sugar crash will end you on the road at night. When I'm on the road, it's straight black coffee, nothing else.
 
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