Don't Drive Drowsy

Of course you know it’s dangerous to drive after drinking alcohol. But did you know that driving when you’re sleepy can be just as risky? Like alcohol, drowsiness slows your reaction time, decreases your awareness, and impairs your judgment. And if you fall asleep while driving, you won’t be able to control your car at all.

Unfortunately, people often drive when they’re drowsy. In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of adults admitted they had driven a car during the last year while feeling drowsy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that about 100,000 crashes each year result from drowsy driving. While you’re driving, watch out for these warning signs:

• Not being able to remember the last few miles
• Drifting from your lane, having to jerk back into the lane, or hitting a rumble strip
• Having wandering or disconnected thoughts
• Yawning repeatedly
• Having trouble focusing or keeping your eyes open
• Tailgating or missing traffic signs
• Having trouble keeping your head up

If you notice any of these signs, pull over and take a break. You are too sleepy to continue driving. The safest thing to do is to let someone else drive or get some sleep before driving again. Don’t count on “tricks” such as opening the window, turning up the air conditioning, or playing the radio to keep you awake—experts say that these methods don’t work. If you have only a short way to go, a brief (15- to 45-minute) nap and a cup of coffee may help you keep alert for a short time.

But the only long-term cure for sleepiness is sleep. And you definitely don’t want to get that sleep behind the wheel!

Kathleen Meister writes from North Potomac, Md.

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