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Difficulty: HardFatigue and Tiredness

Taking a recommended 15-minute break every two hours eliminates the heightened risk of fatigue-related collisions during long-distance driving undertaken between midnight and 06:00.

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Answer

False — periodic rest breaks mitigate driving fatigue but cannot eliminate the severe circadian dip in alertness that occurs between midnight and 06:00.
The statement is false. Under Highway Code Rule 91, drivers are specifically warned to avoid scheduling long journeys between midnight and 06:00 because natural alertness drops to its absolute lowest biological point during this period. While taking a minimum 15-minute break every two hours is an essential safety requirement, it does not eliminate the heightened danger of falling asleep at the wheel caused by circadian rhythms.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the biological factors influencing driver alertness during late-night and early-morning hours.
Human circadian rhythms cause a natural, pronounced drop in cognitive function, reaction time, and alertness between midnight and 06:00.
Recognising biological sleep cycles is necessary to evaluate the inherent risks of nighttime driving.
2
Examine Highway Code Rule 91 guidelines concerning journey planning and rest stops.
Rule 91 explicitly advises drivers to avoid undertaking long journeys between midnight and 06:00 in addition to planning rest stops of at least 15 minutes every two hours.
Periodic rest intervals reduce acute monotony and physical tiredness but do not eliminate the circadian drive to sleep.
3
Evaluate the validity of the claim that regular breaks eliminate nighttime fatigue risks.
The claim is incorrect because sleep-related crash risks remain substantially elevated during peak circadian lows regardless of break frequency.
Overestimating the protective effect of standard breaks leads to dangerous underestimation of night driving hazards.

Key Concept

Circadian Rhythms and Nighttime Journey Planning
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Fatigue and Tiredness

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