Have you ever found yourself nodding off at the wheel? If so, you are not alone. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a survey to see how common drowsy driving is. 24% of the respondents admitted that at some point within the preceding 30 days, they had trouble staying awake while they drove.
According to the National Safety Council, fatigue triples your chances of getting in a car accident. This is why it is so important to know what signs to look out for and what measures to take.
Recognizing drowsy driving
Drowsiness is subjective and hard to measure. You may be a little tired after a hard day’s work, but does that mean you are unfit to drive? Not necessarily. However, if you are having a hard time focusing on the road or taking longer than normal to react to things, there might be a problem. And of course, if you have trouble staying in your lane or your eyes keep shutting, you should not be driving at all.
Avoiding drowsy driving
You might have to set a stricter bedtime, alter your diet or make other lifestyle changes if you often get tired when you drive. You should also consider any medications you take that could cause drowsiness and rearrange your schedule accordingly. If you ever feel sleepy when you are already driving, you must know when to pull over. There may be times when you should either give yourself a moment to wake up or consider other ways of getting to your destination.
The good news is that drowsy driving is preventable. With a little bit of self-awareness and planning, you can keep yourself and others safe from accidents.