To avoid highway hypnosis, what should you do?

To avoid highway hypnosis, it is important to avoid looking at any one thing for more than a few seconds. This technique helps maintain your alertness and awareness while driving, especially during long trips on monotonous highways where the scenery may not change much. By frequently shifting your gaze, you can help keep your mind engaged and reduce the likelihood of becoming drowsy or unresponsive.

Maintaining a constantly steady speed, while beneficial for fuel efficiency and smooth driving, does not address the mental fatigue that can lead to highway hypnosis. Using cruise control can also create a sense of monotony if the driver does not stay actively engaged in monitoring their surroundings. Lastly, only focusing on the road directly in front of you can limit your peripheral awareness, making it harder to react to sudden obstacles or changes in the environment. In contrast, diversifying your focus helps to keep the brain stimulated, thus reducing the risk of trance-like states while driving.