What is highway hypnosis and why every driver needs to know about it

Driving takes time to learn and master. But once you practice it to the T, it becomes like second nature. This comfort with the process can often lead you to zone out while driving. Has it ever happened that you reached your destination without remembering the whole drive? As it turns out, there is a name for this phenomenon and it's called 'highway hypnosis.' While the name may sound fascinating, this trance-like state can often turn out to be dangerous.

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The phenomenon of highway hypnosis is much more than just "sleeping" while driving. The word hypnosis explains the concept as it refers to a condition where a driver experiences a hypnotism-like effect while driving. One study suggests highway hypnosis happens more commonly on motorways than residential roads where there are less frequent changes in direction and speed, per Cleveland Clinic.

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Registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke has explained how the phenomenon works in real life. She said, "People normally describe highway hypnosis as either they arrived at their destination and they don’t remember how they got there, or they’re further along in their route than they thought they were and they don’t know how they got so far."

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Joshua Maxwell, an ergonomics engineer at the Hyundai-Kia Technical Center in Michigan, highlighted some major problems of the phenomenon. He pointed out that drivers who are in highway hypnosis will react slower if something happens as they are 'zoned out'. Tired drivers and zoned-out drivers can never be deemed 'safe' for the road, and in a lot of cases, they are involved a lot more in road accidents, per BBC.

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Highway hypnosis is also known as the 'white-line' fever. To overcome this trance-like feeling while driving, it is often advised to consume some caffeine, chat with passengers, put on some good music, or take regular breaks - to stay sharp on the road. 

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Drivers can often experience symptoms of highway hypnosis seeping in and chances are they might not have a chance to stop for a tea or coffee break. When such a scenario occurs, you can make some instant internal adjustments to shake it off for a long time. In terms of figures, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records more than 6,000 fatal car accidents each year involving a drowsy driver, per the official website. The bottom line is highway hypnosis may not sound dangerous to many but often it leads to serious consequences. 

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