Drowsy Driving As Dangerous As Drunk Driving
Over the years, we’ve seen one campaign against drinking and driving after another try to raise public awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence. Numerous organizations, such as Operation Red Nose, work to convince drivers to turn over their keys if they’ve had a few drinks. More recently, however, researchers have found that drowsy driving is almost as dangerous as drunk driving. Fatigue is insidious as it gnaws away at your ability to drive safely—and ultimately the consequences can be catastrophic. And yet, when we find ourselves yawning at the wheel, most people tell themselves that it will pass and keep on driving. The next thing you know, you’ve blanked out for a few seconds and have no recollection of how you got to where you are.
If your eyelids are getting heavy and your concentration is waning, it’s time to find a rest stop or other safe spot to pull over. Take short walk, do some exercises and enjoy a 10-minute coffee break. In fact, drivers should take a break once every two hours on long road trips. Sleepiness not only causes lapses in attention, it also makes you slower to react. This means that if an unexpected incident occurs, your reflexes may not respond quickly enough.
Drowsy driving is so common that several automakers have come up with systems that alert drivers when changes in their driving style indicate that they might be nodding off. Some manufacturers have even added a coffee cup indicator that lights up on the dashboard to remind you to stop for a break.
As soon as you start showing signs of drowsiness, pull over. And remember that accidents don’t just happen on long trips.