A coffee a day keeps tiredness at bay for nearly half of drivers in the UAE
· 46 percent of UAE drivers drink coffee to stay alert
· 27 percent of drivers feel tired and unfocused if they don’t have their preferred drink
· New study by Continental highlights how different drinks are used to maintain concentration but warns of potential dangers
Of those questioned, just 16 percent turn to energy drinks for an energy
boost, as opposed to 46 percent who choose coffee to help them stay alert. While
the most popular drink overall was tea, far fewer – 39 percent – drink tea to
benefit from any extra ‘kick’ it gives them. Just 13 percent of respondents
choose carbonated beverages to boost their levels of alertness, with this
figure rising to 17 percent and 24 percent for drinkers of hot chocolate and Karak
Chai respectively.
Road safety continues to be a major issue in
the UAE, with recent figures from the Ministry of Interior and National
Transport Authority showing that 725 people lost their lives on the country’s
roads in 2016 [1]. With the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority
recently highlighting that poor concentration, inattentiveness and tiredness
raise the likelihood of crashes [2], Continental’s survey raises
questions about how a driver’s choice of drink actually helps enhance their
driving ability.
Speaking about the findings, Dr Dana
Al-Hamwi, UAE-based Medical Doctor and DHA-certified Clinical Dietician, Founder of Dr Dana Diet Centre (DDDC) in Dubai
Healthcare City and a regular expert on MBC and Dubai TV, commented: “Studies
have shown that a cup of coffee or tea can be a ‘quick-fix’ for tired drivers.
But caffeinated drinks shouldn’t be relied upon to maintain focus and
concentration when on the roads.”
“Caffeine has no stimulation effect on the brain. Indeed, excessive caffeine
consumption can cause symptoms such as irritability, nervousness, irregular or
rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching and slurred speech. At the same time, drinks
that are high in sugar content can actually lead to fatigue,” Dr Al-Hamwi
continued.
Continental’s survey asked 1,002 UAE respondents about their habitual
drink intake as well as what they felt the impact to be of not being able to
consume their preferred drink. Of these, 27 percent claimed not having their
drink of choice left them tired and unfocused, with 24 percent acknowledging it
negatively impacted their levels of concentration.
Commenting on the findings, Jose Luis de la Fuente, Managing Director of
Continental Middle East, said: “There are many different elements that can play
a role in road accidents, and the human factor is just one of these. This is
why driver education is a key element of Continental’s Vision Zero initiative. In
undertaking this study, we wanted to better understand how the effect of
consuming different drinks influences drivers in the UAE.”
As a frontrunner in automotive technological advancements and road
safety, Continental is a dedicated advocate of greater safety on the roads -
the company’s global Vision Zero initiative aims to totally eradicate road accidents
and achieve Zero fatalities, Zero injuries and Zero accidents on the roads. The
survey was commissioned by Continental as part of its approach to
delivering Vision Zero through enhancing drivers’ knowledge, attitude and
awareness.
Based on the understanding that caffeinated
drinks provide a limited boost to maintaining alertness, Continental Middle
East and Dr Al-Hamwi have come up with the following top-ten health and
nutrition tips to help provide drivers with a safer driving experience:
1) Drink
enough water to boost the electrical energy in the brain for all body functions
2)
Avoid snacks with high salt or
sugar content
3)
Eat regular meals and consume
fruit and vegetables
4)
Avoid fast food and sugary drinks
5)
Avoid medications that cause
drowsiness
6)
Chew gum to help increase focus on
the road and reduce tension
7)
Smaller healthy snacks are better
than big meals
8)
Have healthy snacks including
carrots, celery, grapes, cheese sticks and grilled chicken strips
9)
Follow your body clock and stop
for a break on long trips
10) Make
sure to allow fresh air to circulate inside the car cabin
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