You are driving along in your commercial or owner operator truck and you suddenly realize you’re in another state and can’t recall crossing the state-line. As far as you know, you should be 100 miles from the border and yet here you are. If this or something similar has happened to you, then you’ve experienced highway hypnosis or white line fever. This is a trance like state where the unconscious part of the mind is doing the driving for you while the conscious mind is switched off.
Although highway hypnosis is not the same thing as sleeping, the brain activity of someone in this state resembles that of a sleeping person. Brain activity is slower than a fully conscious person, and parts of the brain that normally communicate with each other are disconnected. Driving in this state is dangerous because the autopilot part of the brain won’t respond to sudden traffic changes or emergencies. These higher level tasks require your thinking mind which unfortunately, is offline.
Highway Hypnosis Symptoms and Corrective Measures
Knowing the symptoms of highway hypnosis as you slip into it isn’t useful because it will simply happen without your awareness. Recognizing and acting on symptoms requires an active conscious mind which you won’t have.
However, if something snaps you out of it such as a honking horn, road bump or rumble strips, then not recollecting prior events should tell you that you’ve just slipped out of highway hypnosis. Don’t continue driving as before because you will likely slip back into your trance and possibly cause a catastrophic accident like other commercial or owner operator truck drivers have while in this state.
Instead, do this:
- Sit up straight.
- Roll down the window if it’s cold outside.
- Talk to your partner if you have one.
- Maintain your speed manually without speed control.
- Actively move your eyes around taking note of your traffic situation or of road signs and landscape changes.
- Turn up the radio and actively switch radio stations, making note of what’s playing on each station.
All of these suggestions (except the first two) are ways of engaging your mind without too much distraction from your driving. Continue this until you reach a rest stop and can take a break. During the break, take a nap, then walk around, and finish it up with a coffee.
Highway hypnosis happens out of monotony when there isn’t enough to do to keep your mind engaged. It’s also more likely to happen when you’re sleep deprived. For more information or if you require commercial or owner operator truck insurance for Tennessee, feel free to contact us.
