How far can you safely drive in a day?

[WillitFit]

I'm a middle aged woman who's had a driving licence since I was 18yo. I drive short journeys most days and a journey of 120 mikes round trip most weeks and would say I'm an experienced, competent and confident driver.

However for longer trips, which tended to be as a family, I always let late DH drive. No real reason other than he enjoyed driving and I am lazy was happy to nap on journeys. I would take a shift on very long journeys.

Since he died, obviously, I have to do it all myself. I took DS2 for a uni tour yesterday, 3.5 hours each way. DH would have done it without thinking. I was really struggling and stopped for a rest every hour on the way back.

I was used to drive 5 hours a day without stress - but since Covid, when we stopped driving long distances (if at all) I struggle now to do more than a few hours. Same with going out at night - we go out for dinner, and rather than go onto a bar (we live in southern europe) I would rather go home and sit on the balcony!

I've done 6.5 hours with one stop for petrol and it was no problem and I used to do 3.5 hours to my child's Uni with no stops then home again on the same day. But I've always enjoyed driving and I enjoy driving long distances. We're all different OP.

I fairly regularly do a 400 mile journey. Normally leave 9ish and there for evening meal. It’s motorway all the way though, so (barring accidents on the road) straightforward, easy driving with a services coming up pretty much as soon as I feel I need it. Normally a stop for lunch of about 45 minutes, a 15 or 20 minute stop and as many 5 minute pee breaks as the kids and I rack up between us.

I feel quite comfortable driving 6 hours / 300 miles, though my bum and eyes are aching by the end, even if I stop for lunch in the middle. I do this kind of a drive several times a year - it's London to Cornwall, or London to the Lakes. More than about that I would think twice about.

About 2.5 hours is my limit for a single driving session.
I have driven 8 hours in one day once, but it was broken up into 2 - 2.5 hour stints. I wouldn't be quick to repeat it.of I'm honest.

Driving is exhausting to me. I often think I take too much notice and the input becomes overwhelming.

There's a running inner monologue that goes:
Car in front, count 3 seconds from bridge.
Car behind coming fast, be wary.
Car on right passing slowly, ease off, let them in.
Junction coming, slip road after, prepare move.
Car in front 3 second from lamp post.
Speed limit change ease off.
Person behind erratic, keep eye.
Predict erratic car, over take me, pull in close to lorry ahead, then undertake... And there he goes doing just that.
Stopping distance, from lamppost.. 1..2..3
Junction detail board, not this one, 2 junctions further.
So on and so on.
It's noisy in my head and a stop at a motorway WH Smith is necessary..

It depends- if I know the route, it will feel less of a distance than it would on roads I don't know. If you do something like go abroad and drive on the other side of the road and signs in another language, that's another mental layer to deal with. Little windy back roads with sheep liable to wander across the road are a different proposition from doing the speedlimit along a mostly empty motorway.

I think about 6h is the most I've done in a day,but I probably stop for the loo every couple of hours or so. And petrol- I have a small car/tank, and only get about 350miles to a tank.

Hmm, I'd have definitely stopped overnight had it been that long of a day.

More than two hours there merits a hotel methinks.

In the U.K.? 3.5 to 4 hrs

In Canada, with an automatic car with cruise control and on reasonably empty highways with regular washroom stops and a gas stop - 8-9 hours.

I once drive to Newquay from West London. Took 4 hours and we didn't stop on the way there. On the way back DP at the time insisted we stop with about an hour to go.

From the above experience, 3.5 hours would be too long a drive for me, 2 hours is my absolute maximum. I'd have taken a train for your journey; you are able to sit back and relax plus a taxi the other end.

Tricky. Impossible to say. I too love driving, but taking ds1 from Surrey to visit Durham Uni, was enough more me. We drove up the night before then back the next day.

Professional drivers take a break every 4 hours but do whatever you are comfortable with. I take a breather and stretch my legs every two hours.

4 hours each way in a day.

I regularly drive 6 hours on my
own

it was exhausting initially and very daunting

now it doesn’t phase me at all

I think it’s all about practise

800 km (500ish miles) Melbourne to Adelaide and then back again, took about 9 hours one way with a couple of stops.

Australian country roads much easier to drive than UK roads though. Dealing with UK traffic is far more stressful.

I have to drive the 447 miles and back to see my parents in Scotland twice a year. It’s “ nae bother” and takes 7 hours as it’s pretty much just 3 motorways. Although 50 mph for a lot of the M6 is tedious . I don’t stop except for fuel.

On the other hand I find driving the 3 hours to the Midlands more hard work because it’s long enough to get boring but not long enough to get in the zone. I’ve had enough and wouldn’t fancy working or doing a big Uni tour and driving back.

We drive Norfolk to Aberdeenshire a couple of times a year. We share the driving. It always takes 11 hours or so because we stop a lot. I would prefer to crack on and just get there but there are four of us is n the car and my husband in particular likes to stop for short breaks. I have done it on my own. It was fine. A means to an end.

If you’re in this position again make sure you rest, have a nap when you’re stopping, having a drink or a walk about won’t cure tiredness and don’t have a meal as if you’re tired and have a full stomach the brain thinks sleep. If someone drives when tired and has an accident it’s a cps referral for dangerous driving. If you can try and split the trip up with staying over if you’re worried about getting tired. It’s irrelevant how long PP can drive for or how far, if you’re tired, you’re tired and you stop like you have done.

How on earth did you fit this in?! 1200 miles would be 20 hours driving averaging 60 miles an hour?! I very rarely manage to average 60 over s journey in the UK when you allow for the off motorway bits at either end and congestion, roadworks etc etc.

It’s more difficult now, but you used to be able to average significantly more than 60 mph on the continent. I’ve done 600 miles in France in around 5hrs, having to stop for fuel every 1hr45. Fun times!

I can drive for a good few hours, same as I have a good concentration/ energy span sitting at my desk for hours - but I need to stop every couple for a wee.
Everyone's different op, your child is very lucky you're driving them to see universities and I'm sure they're grateful x

I used to be able to do more, but nowadays at 41 with residual back issues from 3 pregnancies I struggle after 2 hours.

Actually I drove to Nashville with 3 kids a couple of years ago, that was about a 14-hour trip, one way; I think we drove about 9 hours the first day and 5 the second.

Yes, the automatic car and cruise control does make a big difference!

6 to 7 hours (including a break or two) when driving the family on holiday from the northwest to the southwest. I have DH poised to feed me wine gums and pass over a bottle of drink as I need; he also reads snippets from that day's newspaper and Viz Top Tips! DH could share the driving but I enjoy it, and it's quite relaxing to know that I have a 'backup' driver should anything happen.

I could drive a 12 hour day stopping every 2-3 hours for a decent 30-60 min break. However everyone’s different and you’re dealing with a bereavement 💐

You’re not! I find I get very stiff on long journeys these days. I need to stop every couple of hours. I never used to.