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

[Blues321]

How long would you feel is a safe time to drive on a motorway without a break?

I appreciate it's different person-to-person but on average, what is a safe time limit.

Sparked by a discussion on a long motorway journey!

I don't think there is an answer, it depends so much on vehicle type, seating position, energy levels, how much you're used to driving, road conditions etc etc. I've done 3 hours in one go before absolutely fine, but other days I need a stop after an hour or so.

Long distance lorry drivers drive for much longer without a break, I think, but they do it every day and are seated upright, with good visibility

2 hours is about my limit!
I do 1hr 45- 2 hours 4 times a week and usually manage it all in one go but it’s dependant on needing a wee!
More than 2 hours and my legs start getting stiff and my eyes itchy and I need some fresh air.

I can do about 5,5h when I drive but can only manage about 3h as a passenger.

Yes I think it depends on yourself- I used to work only an hour away and after my second was born had to pull over after minutes to rest eyes/ go for food or drink. I can go two hours fine or be exhausted after an hour depending on everything.

I break the journey up and stop at about 1.5 hrs for a loo stop/stretch.

I agree that it very much depends, especially on tiredness. Sometimes you're fine for hours, others even a short journey could be inadvisable. The guidance for car drivers is a short break at least every couple of hours and there are prescribed rules for lorry drivers.

Variable. I've gone hours and sometimes half an hour. Depends on if the sun is making me tired from being in my eyes, if it's raining too hard and I can't see, if I didn't sleep enough the night before etc.

My max is in a good day is just over 4 hours. 2-3 hours is a doddle.

For me it just depends how often I need the toilet. 😘

Depends on so many factors, including time of day, road conditions, familiarity with the route, and how I'm feeling. I used to regularly drive 200 miles/3.5 hours without stopping, and I once did Manchester to Norwich in one go (just under five hours) in an emergency.

Generally I prefer to have a break every 2-3 hours, nearer two if I've had to concentrate hard or the roads are annoying.

Well the Highway Code advises 2 hours or 100miles. I don’t necessarily think that people are a good judge of when to stop and will only think of pulling over when they’ve already started nodding off.

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.

2 hours ish. I get bored

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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....

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

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.