What does fatigue increase the risk of while driving?

Fatigue significantly increases the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. When a driver is fatigued, their concentration, alertness, and overall cognitive function are impaired. This can lead to micro-sleep episodes, where a driver briefly loses consciousness without being aware of it. The reaction time slows down, and judgment deteriorates, making it difficult to stay attentive to the road and surrounding vehicles.

While making poor decisions and reacting too quickly are certainly related to driver fatigue, they are not as direct as the risk of actually falling asleep while driving. While fatigue may influence decisions, the immediate and most dangerous consequence is the likelihood of dozing off, which can lead to severe accidents. Driving too fast is more often associated with aggressive driving behaviors than with fatigue directly. Therefore, the option that directly addresses the consequence of fatigue in the context of driving is falling asleep behind the wheel.