Not drinking enough could see motorists doubling their risk of accidents in summer

Dehydrated drivers may not realise the danger they pose on the roads

UK motorists have been warned that not staying hydrated during the upcoming heatwave could double their risk of an accident on the roads. With temperatures heading towards 29 degrees Celsius, experts are warning eager road trippers and sunset drivers about one potentially fatal blunder that leads to dehydration according to motoring expert Graham Conway, of Select Van Leasing.

He noted that those heading on long summer road trips, potentially eager to get to their holiday destination, might avoid drinking enough water to ditch the pit stops along the way but the side effects can be devastating as studies show being dehydrated can be just as dangerous as driving drunk.

This comparison comes from a 2015 study at Loughborough University published in the journal Physiology and Behaviour where male drivers undertook a driving simulation in lab conditions in both "normal hydration" and "dehydrated" states.

The study found dehydrated drivers were "involved in twice the number of driving incidents" compared to their hydrated counterparts and made a similar number of errors that would be expected of drivers "under the influence of drugs of alcohol". The NHS recommends drinking around 6-8 glasses of water per day to stay properly hydrated, and increasing that amount in hotter weather.

Graham advised: "UK motorists need to be mindful of that fact if they're going to get behind the wheel of a car during a heatwave, particularly if they're embarking on a long journey. The effects of dehydration include tiredness and lethargy, dizziness, headaches, confusion, muscle cramps, and a general lack of concentration."

He cautioned that these side effects can have a "catastrophic impact on the standards of a person's driving", urging motorists to top up their fluid intake when needed even if it means more pit stops and longer road trips.

Graham continued: "The problem with dehydration is that by the time your body triggers your thirst response, you're probably already suffering the symptoms. That's why it's really important to keep drinking water regularly on longer trips, even when you're not feeling thirsty. Plain water is ideal but tea, juice, milk and coffee can also do the trick. And caffeine, of course, can help with your focus, too."

Summer also brings the risk of sunburn for spending much of their sunshine hours in the car, putting the right-hand side of the body most at risk for drivers. While some might be tempted to simply pop some sunscreen in the glove box to have it on-hand when needed, Graham warned this can be detrimental.

He explained: "You should avoid leaving a bottle of sunscreen in your car's glove box. While it might be convenient when it comes to applying protection before you set off on a journey, some of the active ingredients in sunscreen actually break down when exposed to high heat from sitting in your car, rendering it less effective."

He also pointed out that chilly air conditioning can lull drivers into a "false sense of security" as they don't necessarily feel the burn before it starts, adding: "Several studies have shown that harmful UV can easily penetrate car windscreens and side windows, causing damage to both skin and eye tissue."