Drowsy driving is more common than you think. It’s estimated drowsy driving kills 6,400 people every year. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated 1 in 25 drivers have fallen asleep while driving in the past 30 days.
Drowsy driving is arguably as dangerous as driving drunk, although severely under reported. “Drowsy driving can be compared to that of drunk driving, as it can impede your judgement and slow response time”, note accident experts at Harris & Harris Injury Lawyers in Las Vegas, NV.
If you live a hectic lifestyle or even if you’ve just had a bad night of sleep, drowsy driving can happen. When you start noticing the signs of drowsy driving, it’s best to take action instead of continuing to drive. If you start to feel drowsy on the road, it’s best to consider the following recommendations:
Pull Over and Rest
If you feel your driving will be compromised by your drowsiness, get off the road and to a safe location. Take a short nap of 20 minutes and see how you feel when you wake up; remember, you may feel drowsy for 15 minutes or so after you’ve woken up.
Drink Caffeine
While this is not a total fix for your body’s need for sleep, caffeine improves alertness. Consider a cup of coffee, espresso, or an energy drink to improve alertness. Consider ingesting caffeine before a quick nap to fight grogginess when you wake up.
Ask Your Partner to Drive
It is the safest option to drive with a partner on long road trips! If possible, plan your trip with a friend who has a valid driver’s license. Take turns driving, ideally every two hours, so the passenger can get some sleep.
Call Backup
Whether you’re close to home or far away, it may be best to call for backup if you feel too tired to continue driving. Consider parking your car in a safe location and calling a friend or loved one to pick you up from your location to take you to your destination. Requesting a car from a rideshare service may also be a viable solution.
After you’ve rested and feel alert, you can return to get your vehicle.
Turn in for the Night
Between the hours of midnight and 6 AM is when sleepiness is the most intense. If you start feeling drowsy around this time, stop driving and turn in for the evening.
Serious Signs that You are Drowsy and Should Not be Driving
Your body gives signs when it is too fatigued to operate a vehicle. If you notice the following signs, you may be too drowsy and should refrain from driving:
- Frequent yawning
- Difficulty focusing on the road
- Frequent blinking
- Rubbing your eyes
- Tailgating
- Difficulty keeping your head up
- Missing an exit or street
- Inability to remember the past few miles
- Drifting
- Daydreaming
- Hitting a rumble strip
Drowsy Driving Laws
In an effort to reduce the number of collisions caused by drowsy driving, lawmakers have enacted legislation related to drowsy driving. Some laws include educating the public about the dangers of drowsy driving while others enact harsher penalties on collisions caused by drowsy driving. Current drowsy driving laws are in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas and Utah.
An accident caused by drowsy driving is 100% preventable. With these 5 tips, you can combat drowsy driving and mitigate the chance of a collision. This being said, the only true solution to drowsy driving is getting adequate sleep, so rest up!