Interstate Travel and Dealing with Fatigue

This is a horrible accident that even the newscaster wasn’t comfortable reporting on. It happened on I-80 in Pennsylvania on January 7, 2010.

 

The collision happened at the Clintonville exit in Venango County on I-80 involving an SUV and a semi were westbound both lost control, headed across the median strip and the semi hit a minivan head-on, then turning over onto it and killing several people. From the report at least two people died and three or four others were injured.

 

Here is the news report from KOKA Channel 2 in Pennsylvania.

 

What is interesting is the report that Pennsylvania State Patrol was investigating driver fatigue and whether it had anything to do with the initial driver reactions leading to the crash. I find this of interest because someone recently inquired how interstate highway travel poses different risks than do local streets and avenues. I pointed out that the long drives create a situation of boredom and that semi-drivers going coast to coast must be more likely to suffer from fatigue. Add in the terrible weather that made driving conditions miserable and you have a recipe for multi-car collisions.

 

Interstate travel presents many risks that are different than you’d expect to encounter with in-town driving. And fatigue is one of them. I regularly see people on Interstates 80 and 35 that drive along beside a semi-truck. They aren’t considerate and don’t think twice about the semi driver perhaps not even realizing they are beside his rig. Some are on cell phones increasing the risk of an accident. It’s frustrating for me to see so many people with so many distractions while driving and it seems they could care less about the risks posed.

 

Are you fatigued? Do you drive fatigued? Do yourself a favor along with the other drivers on the Interstate highway system – pull over and take a nap.