To ensure the safety of you and others during the Holy Month of Ramadan, be aware of fatigue and know stress and tiredness symptoms while driving:
- Excessive yawning.
- Poor concentration.
- Eyestrain and feeling drowsiness.
- Slow reflexes.
When you have any of the above symptoms while driving, you must stop immediately and take a break to renew your activity.
For safe driving in Ramadan, make sure to:
- Getting some rest before driving, as inadequate sleep accumulated over several days affects the ability to concentrate, which affects the ability to make the right decision for dangerous driving situations.
- Making a routine and regular consistent bedtime every day, doing regular exercise, and eating healthy meals at a fixed time.
- Staying away from the roads at sunset, avoiding it, if possible, in order to prevent crowds at this time.
- Avoiding peak hours to stay away from stress.
- Using car headlights during dawn for clearer vision.
- Before going out on the road at night, be sure that Headlights, taillights, and signal lights are clean and working properly.
- Cleaning car windows to remove dust may weaken the ability to see clearly.
- Adhering to all traffic signs, rules, and regulations, and be careful towards other drivers on the road.
- Slowing down and complying with the permitted speed limits on the road.
- Taking extra time to reach the destination on schedule.
- Maintaining air conditioning in the car; to stay alert.
- Using alternative transportation services when feeling tired (eg: taxis, buses, trains, etc.).
Safe driving for diabetics in Ramadan:
- Avoid all unnecessary trips during Ramadan.
- Avoid long trips, driving in the morning early, within two hours before sunset and in the bad weather.
- Taking breaks on long trips (if you must drive long ones).
- Always keep hypoglycemic medications in the car (even when you are fasting, taking into account the proper storage of the Glucagon Injection Kit).
- Not ignoring the warning signs of hypoglycemia (eg: hunger, sweating, feeling faint).
- If you feel hypoglycemia, stop the car as soon as possible, turn off the engine, remove the keys and get out of the driver's seat, then eat some fast-acting carbohydrates (such as glucose tablets or candy), some slow-release carbohydrates, and do not start driving up to 45 minutes after your blood glucose returns to normal.