Have you ever had a moment where you felt so drowsy behind the wheel that you had to pull over and take a walk or find a spot to nap before you could get back to driving? Maybe you’ve even been in a situation where you were tired while driving home at night and nodded off behind the wheel. This is a common problem, but it is also a seriously dangerous one.
Even dozing off for a second can result in a devastating crash that injures you, passengers in your vehicle, pedestrians, or those in another vehicle sharing the road with you. Hopefully, you’ve never been in that serious of a situation, but if you’re like over 40% of adults in the United States, you’ve nodded off behind the wheel at least once.
In 2015 alone, driving while drowsy contributed to over 800 deaths. However, experts note that even this number doesn’t really show how common accidents are from driving while tired. Falling asleep while driving is extremely dangerous, but even those who don’t fall asleep but are fatigued may not drive as safely as normal. In addition to the obvious dangers to yourself and those around you, an accident caused by drowsy driving could seriously affect your insurance rates.
Comparison to Driving While Intoxicated
You may be far less likely to drive after drinking than you are to avoid driving because you didn’t sleep well the night before. However, you might want to rethink this behavior the next time it comes up. We all know that drunk driving is extremely dangerous, but it might surprise you to know that drowsy driving can be just as dangerous.
Many studies show that drivers who are sleep deprived are prone to the same critical safety errors as those who are driving drunk. In fact, one of the studies shows that those who are sleep deprived have the same level of impairment as someone with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration.
The people who are most likely to drive while sleep-deprived are adults from 18 to 29. It is also more likely for men to get behind the wheel while tired than women. You will also find that most driving accidents related to being drowsy occur from midnight to six am on rural, long, or high-speed highways.
Those who are most likely to drive drowsy tend to be those who do not get enough sleep, drivers who are using medications that cause drowsiness, commercial drivers who operate buses, tractor-trailers, and tow trucks, shift workers who work at night or for long period of time, and individuals who have a sleep disorder that is not being treated. Decision-making skills, response time, and level of attention all suffer when you haven’t had enough sleep.
Of course, that isn’t the only time this problem can occur, and it should be considered no matter where you are or what time of day it is. Driving while distracted and driving while tired are both huge problems that should be avoided whenever possible.
Common Signs of Drowsy Driving
Many drivers who have been involved in a crash related to drowsy driving will say they don’t remember having any symptoms before falling asleep while driving. However, even when you don’t feel overly tired, there are several signs that mean you should pull over:
- Hitting the shoulder rumble strip
- Tailgating other vehicles
- Drifting out of your lane
- Difficulty keeping your head up
- Drooping or heavy eyelids
- Repeated eye blinking
- Trouble focusing on the road
- Frequent yawning
- Trouble remembering the past few traffic signs, miles, or exits
- Detached thoughts or daydreaming
If you notice that you have any of these symptoms, you need to consider pulling off the road. In some cases, turning up the air conditioner, rolling down your windows, or turning up the volume of your music may offer some help in keeping you awake and alert.
Tips for Driving Only While Alert
At this point, you likely understand how big of a problem drowsy driving actually is. You may be wondering what you can do to prevent yourself from ending up in an accident due to driving while drowsy in the future. We’ve compiled a list of tips to ensure safe driving, no matter how you feel when you jump into your car.
The top tip for avoiding driving when drowsy is to be sure you get plenty of sleep every single night. This is the only way to ensure that you are protected from the dangers of sleepy driving. It’s best to get seven or eight hours of sleep each night for most people. Make sure you put aside enough time to get properly rested, especially if you know you will do a large amount of driving the next day.
Those who do not take the time to get adequate sleep may find themselves drowsy the next day. When you do this, you put not only yourself at risk but everyone else who is in your vehicle. It also put as risk other drivers or pedestrians you may see along the way.
Teenagers often do not get enough sleep. At this stage in life, lots of sleep is needed and some teenagers may not be getting the proper amount each night if they haven’t acclimated to these new needs. This makes people of this age range more susceptible to drowsy driving leading to crashes, especially if going for long distances. If you are a parent, explain to them that they should not drive until they are well rested and model good behaviors yourself.
Do not drink before driving. We aren’t talking about avoiding drinking until drunk, which should be a given. Even having one drink can create problems. Alcohol makes people drowsier and can lead to impairment. Adding to that a situation where you are tired is asking for trouble. Avoid driving entirely if you have had anything to drink.
Another thing to avoid is driving after taking medications that lead to drowsiness. This means you should be aware of what you are taking and what side effects it might have. Check over the labels for your medication and avoid driving after using anything that adds to drowsiness. It might be best to utilize public transportation if you need to go somewhere after using these medications.
If at all possible, it’s also best to avoid driving during the times when you are most apt to get sleepy. If you have to drive during these times, it’s important to be aware of what is going on around you. Watch for the signs of drowsiness listed above, especially if you’re in the vehicle alone. If you are too tired to be driving, pull over. Don’t put yourself and others in danger.
You might think that drinking energy drinks or coffee will be enough to stave off drowsiness, but this is not always the case. These beverages can make you more alert but that typically lasts only a short period of time. If you are sleep deprived and have a coffee, you can still end up falling asleep for short amounts of time, which is dangerous.
Driving while drowsy is decidedly dangerous and you should avoid it if at all possible. Nobody wants to end up causing an accident leading to insurance costs rising, potential injuries, or even worse. Follow the tips above and you can keep yourself out of this dangerous situation when you are out on the road.
