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Sleepiness and driving is a dangerous combination.Sleepiness or fatigue cause:
- Decreased awareness
- Impaired reaction time, judgment and vision
- Problems with information processing and short-term memory
- Decreased performance, vigilance and motivation
- Increased moodiness and aggressive behaviors
- Increased risk of crashing
Before hitting the road, drivers should:
- Get a good night's sleep. While this varies from individual to individual, the average adult requires about 8 hours of sleep a night; adolescents need 8.5 to 9.25 hours each night.
- Plan to drive long trips with a companion. Passengers can help look for warning signs of fatigue, talk to the driver, or switch drivers when needed.
- Schedule regular stops, every 100 miles or two hours.
- Avoid alcohol and medications that may impair performance.
- Consult your physician if you suffer frequent daytime sleepiness, often have difficulty sleeping at night, and/or snore loudly every night.
- Don't count on the radio, open window or other "tricks" to keep you awake.
- Respond to symptoms of fatigue by finding a safe place to stop for a break.
- Pull off into a safe area away from traffic and take a brief nap (15 to 45 minutes) if tired.
- Drink coffee or another source of caffeine (soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee, tea, chewing gum, tablets) to promote short-term alertness if needed. (It takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream.) For best results, try taking caffeine and then a short nap to get the benefits of both.
How can you tell if you are "driving while drowsy"?
Signs that a driver should stop to rest include:
- Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
- Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
- Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
- Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
- Trouble keeping your head up
- Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
- Feeling restless and irritable