Freeway hypnosis has emerged as a number one reason behind highway accidents.
4 members of two Surat-based households have been killed in a highway accident on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway in Aurangabad on Wednesday night. The Maharashtra Police mentioned at a press convention that 39 folks have misplaced their lives and 143 have been injured in accidents on the highway, designed for high-speed vehicular site visitors, since its launch in December 2022 – a worryingly excessive determine. Senior officers of the police power additionally mentioned that one of many main causes for therefore many accidents is freeway hypnosis.
What’s freeway hypnosis?
Freeway hypnosis, additionally known as white line fever, is a phenomenon that causes a driver to enter a trance-like state whereas driving, based on Healthline.
The car crosses a number of kilometres however the driver does not have a transparent reminiscence of what occurred. It’s barely completely different that sleepiness when your eyes turn out to be heavy and also you go to sleep.
As per Tata AIG, the motive force retains driving, has absolute management over the steering, however pays no consideration to something that occurs round them. It’s also often called highway hypnosis.
What causes freeway hypnosis?
Merely put – inactivity. Once we are driving in metropolis, out focus ranges are normally excessive since there’s bumper-to-bumper site visitors, brief rides and site visitors indicators, because of which we’ve got to speed up and cease the car ceaselessly. Our mind is stuffed with exercise and is buzzing.
However on highways, the scenario is completely different. On the lengthy and empty stretch of highway, there’s minimal exercise. The automobile retains cruising in the identical gear and the monotonous atmosphere causes our lively mind to change off.
In such a state of affairs, the car drifts away. It typically occurs that we emerge out of trance by the horn of a automobile, however generally folks drive in auto mode with none recollection of time that may show harmful – even deadly.
It is completely different from fatigued driving
One factor that differentiates the 2 is automaticity. In freeway hypnosis, a driver experiences Automaticity – or the method of doing issues mechanically with out actively fascinated with the steps concerned – however in fatigued driving, this isn’t the case.
In freeway hypnosis, the unconscious thoughts can take over however in fatigued driving that’s an unlikely factor. Subsequently, it’s extra harmful than freeway hypnosis.
Tips on how to sort out freeway hypnosis?
When a driver realises that signs of freeway hypnosis has began taking on, there’s a have to observe sure tricks to improve alertness.
The primary amongst them is taking a break. Throughout a protracted drive, it’s advisable to cease each few hours, relying in your driving stamina. Throughout breaks, get out of the automobile and transfer round as a lot as doable.
One other technique to break the monotony is to maintain speaking with fellow passengers, or use a hands-free machine to name a good friend. Drivers may play some track on the automobile’s music system to maintain the mind engaged.
Lastly, it’s advisable to drink espresso as it will probably assist increase alertness.