Overnight driving vs. During the day

[NotUrsula]

Sadly, I think those statistics might be affected by drunk drivers leaving the bars after closing time.

Well, yes, especially on weekends, but think about what happens if the drunk happens to cross your path when you have been driving for hours staring at that white line: being tired and having tired eyes might easily make the difference between being able to swerve to avoid that drunk driver or not being able to, and perhaps running off the road because your eyes are worn out and you cannot properly judge how far you are moving laterally around the road.

Extended night driving is simply not a really wise idea for most day-workers who are over age 40. Our bodies, and especially our eyes, are just not usually up to it anymore.

 

[mad madam mim78]

We always drive at night. The kids sleep so well. They don't even wake completely for gas stops. Its not for everyone though. I always try to sleep before we leave at 10pm or so but I'm so excited I tend to just rest my eyes.

Everyone is asleep so I keep the radio low and it's dark so you have nothing visually to keep you interested. It's just you and a long hypnotic road. It's dull. There's no one to talk to. If you need a drink or snack you have to get it. You need to stay pretty vigilant about deer. They come out. It's pretty challenging. Im just like you. It's very hard for me to sleep while in motion but you WILL get tired. I've had it happen and it is very scary to be unable to keep your eyes open.

The pluses are there is virtually NO traffic. I am positive it saves gas when you can just set the cruise and not do the slow down speed up thing. You are basically taking 7 hrs off your trip in the kids eyes. You get time to think. I've totally had epiphanies driving all night.

You get to see the sunrise. I'm talking full on sunrise. I never see those otherwise. When we got to Disney at 6 am they actually gave it to us 9 hrs before check in. That was amazing but not a certainty.

If you do just be prepared. It's not for the feint of heart lol.