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!

The first - and last - time I made a same day round trip to London from Lancashire, my satnav would give dire warnings after 2hrs 😁

I heeded them gladly.

I always stop after 2 hours, even just for 5 minutes

Same

But if the whole journey is 2 and a half hours I'll hang on!

Good point, @ChocolateApples . My journeys have a tough first 20 miles, and invariably involve the M6.
I have done runs to the Scottish borders and that had a long easy stretch.

My car reminds me to have a break every 2 hrs.

DH used to drive a lot of his job and will happily do 5 hours without stopping but since we’ve had DS toilet breaks have become inevitable. I reckon 3 hours is probably my limit. We drove home from Scotland to the south recently - 10 hours - and swapped every 2.5 hours ish which was fine but I was ready to swap every time we did.

I'd drive 4 hours in one go if I didn't need to stop for the loo and do sometimes when I go to visit friends. But this is when it'll be day time and light so less pressure on my eyes!

2 hours is a standard drive without stopping for DH and I to see close family.

I’ll do 5 hours, but more likely to do a 20 minute re-fuel/loo/coffee break. It's up to the individual and how comfortable you are doing long stretches. The M1 is quite tedious, I find.

Around 3 hours. Used to drive London to Glasgow regularly and aim to have just one stop.

I usually need the loo every couple of hours so that feels about right.

The run to my DPIL is 2hr 15 - 2hr 30 depending on traffic and we try to do it without a stop but about 20% of the time either me or DD will need a loo break.

My DH did 3.5 hrs home from some friends recently after road works, diversions and queues. Not ideal and we'd never plan to do it but there was nowhere to stop, it was late and DD was asleep but more importantlt he felt ok and we kept an eye on him.

I think a stop about every 3 hours is best. It really depends though, sometimes you do just want to push on with the journey.

Not motorway but when I drive from Inverness to Glasgow or Edinburgh I don’t always stop. Sometimes easier just to keep going, especially on the return leg. It’s about 3.5/4 hours drive.

I once drove from the south of England to the Highlands with only very brief toilet/grab and go food stops and that was hellish, but I didn’t have a choice that day.

Most cars with fatigue detection systems don't just work on a timer. If you kept getting nagged to take a break, it was because you weren't paying attention to the road and were driving dangerously!

I drive almost 2 hours to work and so I can easily go 3-4 hours on a motorway.

I tend to just stop to break the journey up and make it seem quicker.

I have driven 4+ hours without needing a break regularly but then I’ve had times where I stop every hour because I’m tired or my backs hurting.

It’s completely person dependent and how you feel on the day.

I don’t think it would be safe for any of us to advise you on what’s safe for you because you’ll only know at the time.

If you need to stop every hour then do it.

Amazed that those doing very long stretches because they think they can cope with them, or want to get the jou over with don’t realise or don’t care how dangerous it is. Those who drive for a living have limits applied for a reason!

I can do about 1 1/2 hours before I want a quick stop at least. However I am still a fairly new driver so I’m constantly on full concentration (which I know we should all be anyway but when you’re a new driver it is more intense i think!) and cant relax even a jot. So I often jusy need 5 mins to breathe and relax my hands, let go of tension etc.

I stop every two hours, do some stretching, use the loo, walk the dog round the grassy bits, have a drink from my flask.

4 hrs easily for me. Time flies when I drive

Interesting - it seems that about 2 hours is the most popular and the Highway Code recommendation. I can do about 1 hour 45 mins (less if the M25 is involved)

DBIL is of the opinion he'd rather just get there asap and this is what sparked the discussion.

Did a 4 hr 50 journey last week and stopped at about 2h40 in each way.

I could have gone longer I suppose - mainly because it was the kind of journey where there was plenty of changing motorways etc - so felt alert enough. - if it had been one continuous stretch, I might inclined to have stopped at least every 2 hours.

I think DH needs to stop because his driving deteriorates after a couple of hours - he will just sit in the middle lane pootling along. He’s a different driver at the beginning and after lunch.

It definitely depends on what you are used to. I’m “on” in my job literally all day. Well used to no food or loo breaks.

4-5 hours generally

My partner can drive for hours like that. I need to stop every hour due to my health, normally allowed a break every 3 hours,

We stop roughly every 2.5 hours.

Until we get to Tebay services as all the others are wank

I regularly do 6 hours however, I have done 9.5 thanks to an overturned lorry, I wouldn't advise that though.