One of the main causes of accidents on the road is tiredness or lack of concentration which can lead to impaired judgement and reactions almost to the same degree as alcohol consumption. Despite this however there are no laws regarding tiredness on the road and many people overlook it as a serious problem. The problem here is that driving on the motorway for extended periods of time can become tiresome and eventually mind numbing leaving you to drift off into your own thoughts and maybe even experience micro sleeps (brief barely noticeable periods of unconsciousness that occur during extreme tiredness and are one of the most common causes of accidents). To avoid accidents that can cause damage to your car, increase your car insurance or even result in injury or death, you need to make sure you stay awake and alert.

One of the best ways to improve wakefulness as any office worker knows is with caffeine. A strong cup of coffee before any long journey then can help make sure your as wide awake as possible as well as increasing your alertness and concentration and is a particularly good idea if you're travelling first thing in the morning when you may still be tired and groggy. It can also be used as a great way to top up your energy levels if you find yourself getting tired during the journey. In this case you should pull over at a service station and buy yourself a coffee from there, or alternatively take a flask and drink from that (if you're not a coffee fan then either tea or a soft drink such as Coca Cola will do the job). If tiredness kills, then coffee saves lives and helps build up a no claims bonus on your car insurance.

Pulling over is also advisable for other reasons though and it can also provide a great opportunity to get some fresh air, stretch your legs and even take a power nap if necessary. Getting out and walking around is something you can do anywhere and is a guaranteed way to wake you up (particularly if it's cold). On the other hand for more severe cases of tiredness a power nap may be the only solution and you'll be surprised how much good a quick ten minute sleep can do for you.

Another way to get fresh air if there's no way to stop is obviously to open a window wide or turn on the air conditioning. If you find yourself drifting off in the warmth of your vehicle then a blast of fresh air can really bring you back to reality. Similarly another way to give yourself a boost is to turn on some jolly music, preferably with lyrics that you can sing along to, as this will keep you engaged and an up-tempo beat and loud sounds will prevent you from getting too relaxed.

So if you find yourself losing concentration or wakefulness on the road you should make sure to follow at least one of these precautions. It could save your life and others, and at the very least it will keep your car insurance down.