AIBU to ask how long is safe to drive on a motorway without a break?

About 2 hours for me

2.5 hours tops and we do a lot of very long drives across France and up north. If it's been an easy drive, the driver is en-pointe and nobody needs a wee, we will keep going a bit longer providing there's somewhere to stop within 20/30 mins. 100 to 150 miles / 200 km.

The older we get, the more unlikely it is that we can manage more than two hours without a wee.

2-2.5hrs would be my max.

I am regularly doing 1hr45 and wouldn't want to do much more than that in one go. If there was a journey that I expected to take 2.5hrs I'd build a break in.

4 hours is my limit as then I get bored and need to pee and eat!

I regularly do 3 hours with my 3 kids when we visit my parents. They have spotify accounts, tablets and headphones. They pee and eat before we leave then are quiet for the entire journey!!

I always work to around 2 hours, so look for a place to stop at around 1:45. Never leave it too late in case I get stuck in roadworks or an accident! But I'd only usually stop for a loo break and stretch my legs so maybe 15 minutes. So, on a longer drive, will probably stop a few times for short breaks, and maybe once for a longer break for a meal.

I can, and have, gone up to around 3 hours, but it becomes uncomfortable and tiredness/fatigue sets in. Wouldn't go longer than 3 hours as for me, I don't feel it's safe and I can't keep adequate awareness/concentration.

Max 2 hours but I personally wouldn’t do more than 1hr 45

We regularly drive just over 400 miles. We try to get to at least halfway before we stop. But obviously this is traffic-dependent. Usually takes about 3.5-4ish hours to get to that point.

I've driven it door to door without stopping before but it's more difficult with a partner and kids.

As a passenger, however, I am absolutely useless. On one of our more recent journeys, I could feel my eyes getting heavy before we'd even left our road 🙈

I’ve done 6/7 hours a few times. but i do a lot of driving so im used to it.

I normally plan to stop every couple of hours or so although it's very dependent on conditions. I used to drive a lot in a previous job and found that long journeys on quiet motorways could be the worst as there's so little going on to keep your mind active. A busy A-road is slower and more annoying but keeps you much more alert in general.

As everyone says, so many variables. But on a familiar route, in good weather and with light traffic, I'd say 4 hours is very manageable.

It probably depends on the length of the journey and traffic conditions. I can easily do a 3 hr motorway journey without stopping in good conditions, 4 at a push but if it's a longer journey, say 6 hrs I would probably plan 2 short stops rather than do 2 long stints. It also depends what you've been doing that day. Fresh out of bed with more energy and alert but after a long day of work or sightseeing you'd need more breaks or shorter sections, well I would. It also depends on the traffic.

I plan for this. I don't want to be stuck in a tailback with a full bladder.
Go when you can, not when you have to.

I do Saffron Walden to Bristol non-stop. But that assumes no traffic. If I hit traffic I stop in Reading.

I do West Midlands to Devon fairly frequently and never stop. 2 1/2 hours ish is fine. I did Oban to West Mids with one (half hour) stop last year.... that was a trek....

My car does too, @DreadedInn, I think it's a fairly standard safety feature in modern cars nowadays.

I have hypermobility and am usually travelling with my arthritic dog, so I have to stop every couple of hours for both of our comfort.

My limit is about 2 hours, but it will depend on road conditions too. I last better in my own car than DH's which is less ergonomic to a short driver, plus when we're fully loaded with camping gear, observations are more effort to read.

For a 100+ mile journey, I'd tend to put a break in at about ⅔s of the way in. For a very long journey I'd prefer a couple of short movement breaks every 90 mins than a big halfway break. Another consideration is the familarity and road conditions of the last stretch that may take more effort than a majority of motorway/ dual carriageway.

As previous posters have said this totally depends on type of road how rested you are driving conditions etc.

If you start driving early in the day you might be able to drive 4-5 hours.

Driving in the evening after a full day out maybe on 2-3 hours.

Young kids in the car probably 2 hours max whatever the conditions or how rested you are!

I think there are two many factors, traffic, which motorway, time of day, general tiredness/hunger levels.

I have done London to Devon without stopping and on other days stopped more frequently

Two hours is what’s recommended which I think is fairly accurate - I get a numb bum and sore hips after that amount of time anyway!

As a passenger we can be on the road for 5 hours without a stop, most of the time we are asleep. As a driver I need to stop and stretch my legs after about 3 hours although if it’s a 4 hour journey I’d keep going.

My car ‘tells me off’ after 2 hours, but I normally need a wee every 1.5 so it’s rare it gets the chance these days

You stop when you feel you need to.

It depends on lots of things that any random on the internet is unlikely to be able to take into account for a particular drive.

Highway Code rule 91 recommends 15min break for every 2hrs.

2 hours ish. I get bored

I normally stop every 2 hours or so. A few days ago, I drove a hire car from Yarmouth to Newcastle, from working away.

After 2 hours, it was nagging me to stop, for fatigue. I hadn't even got to the A1! Eventually did and traffic was nose to tail and slow.

It nagged me more and more. I eventually stopped at Wetherby, over 4 hours, I felt fine, but it's the longest I've driven without a break.

I'll stop sooner, if I feel fatigued.