Drowsy Driving

We all know that drunk driving is extremely dangerous, and we hear a lot of messages in the media encouraging people to have a designated driver if they are going to be drinking. I agree with these messages, and I agree that drunk driving deserves all the attention we can give it. So many people are injured and killed by drunk drivers in this country. We should do all that we can to prevent drunk driving.

There is another very dangerous driving condition that we don’t hear too much about called “drowsy driving.” The behavior of a drowsy driver can be very similar to the behavior of a drunk driver. Lack of sleep and fatigue can impair your judgment and reaction time, among other things.

Some signs that you are too tired to drive are increased blinking, heavy eyelids, head nodding, excessive yawning and feelings of tiredness. If someone falls asleep at the wheel, the resulting accident can be serious if not deadly.

Try to avoid drowsy driving by making sure that you are rested before getting behind the wheel; by pulling over and resting after every two hours of driving on a long trip; by having a partner to ride with you on long trips; and avoiding driving your vehicle past midnight.

I wish you all good travels, and remember to wear your seatbelt!