Drowsy driving risks
The idea of falling asleep behind the wheel is enough to give most people nightmares.
After all, driving a vehicle requires all of your attention. Consequently, if you lose control, you could damage your car, hurt yourself, or injure others.
If you are in your car a lot throughout the day and you have ever felt sleepy, you need to make a change right now.
While it may seem obvious, the solution to drowsiness while driving is to improve sleep at night and adjust your daily routine. This helps ensure you are not fatigued when you get in your car or truck.
Additionally, to understand the situation better, let’s discuss the dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel. We will outline practical steps you can take to stay safe while driving. These measures include recognizing fatigue signs and planning rest breaks during long trips.
The Dangers Of Sleeping Behind The Wheel
If you have ever fallen asleep or felt overly fatigued while on the road, you are not alone.
In fact, 60% of Americans have reported feeling drowsy at least once.
Additionally, 37% have admitted to falling asleep while operating a motor vehicle.
This can be a sign that your driving routine needs adjustment.
When we look at the numbers and facts associated with this phenomenon, the situation gets even scarier. A survey by the Center for Disease Control found that drowsy driving led to over 83,000 crashes and 886 fatalities during a four-year span. These are all deaths that could have been avoided.
Nevertheless, some drivers may shrug off falling asleep at the wheel. Consequently, they think no harm occurred. However, you may get lucky sometimes, but you must fix the issue. According to AAA, fatigue while driving is often as dangerous as driving drunk. This is especially true if you slept fewer than five hours the night before.
Moreover, lack of sleep reduces your ability to focus and slows reaction time. Additionally, it also raises the risk of an accident. Therefore, this is not an issue to take lightly. If you know you have a problem, it is time to make a change.
How To Stay Safe While Driving
Before you can take the proper steps to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel, you have to understand your particular issue. If you have a medical condition, such as sleep apnea, then it is important that you speak to a medical professional who can create a treatment plan which could include anything from surgery to allergy medication or it could just require changes to your lifestyle, like quitting smoking or losing weight.
The type of work you do can increase the likelihood of falling asleep while driving. For instance, overnight schedules disrupt circadian rhythm and cause extreme drowsiness. Moreover, if you work a third shift, you must sleep during day to perform well at work and drive home.
Additionally, truck drivers are also susceptible due to the exhausting nature of the work and long nights with little stimulation.
If you feel that you have corrected the root of your issue, but you still want to ensure your safety and the protection of other drivers, then you may want to consider a car with advanced driver assistance systems.
For example, many vehicle manufacturers are starting to add cameras and sensors that can learn your typical driving style. If the vehicle determines that you are drifting out of lanes or constantly slowing and speeding, the system will automatically enable special features to keep you as safe as possible. While you may not want to buy a new car, if you need to drive every day and you know that you have issues with sleep, it may be a wise decision to make a change.
It is worth noting that no matter what your issue may be, make it a point to never drink alcohol or take medications that are known to cause drowsiness before driving. Always read the labels on your medication so you know what to expect.
Improve Your Sleep Cycle
There may be several reasons you drift off while driving. However, you can reduce incident risk by getting enough rest at home. Doctors recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
This sleep helps your body recharge and stay alert. Sleep also strengthens your immune system against disease. If you want to function well now and later, make sleep a priority.
First, if you have trouble falling asleep, you may need to adjust your routine. You should go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This habit helps recalibrate your circadian rhythm. Over time, consistency supports peaceful evenings.
Additionally, if you still toss and turn, try some yoga or breathing exercises to relax. Turning down the air conditioning or opening a window can help, since your body cools when you lie down. This simple shift often improves sleep quality.
In addition to setting the stage for proper sleep, you should be careful about what you do. However, while they may not realize it, many people are unable to fall asleep.
Additionally, they stare and scroll through their cell phones while they lay down. The screen emits blue light, which reduces your body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin controls your sleep-wake cycle. An imbalance can force your circadian rhythm out of whack.
If you know you have a problem with falling asleep at the wheel, act today.
Additionally, consider the advice and tips described here to protect yourself and your fellow motorists.
What You Can Do
The problem with drowsy driving is that it’s not always clear to the driver whether they’re driving safely. However, many people may not realize how fatigued they are and may think they can fight the urge to sleep.
Moreover, many drivers may hold the attitude ‘I’ve done this a hundred times, and never had an accident’. But the truth is, it only takes one brief moment of losing concentration on the road for disaster to strike.
- Plan your driving during times when you’re most awake.
- If you know you’re going to take a long drive, attempt to take a nap before leaving.
- If you begin to feel drowsy while driving, ask another passenger to drive.
- If possible, pull over at a rest stop for a few hours.
- Consume caffeine. Caffeine has been proven to promote alertness in tired people, but the effects may only last up to an hour.
- Don’t stare straight ahead. Move your eyes around and focus on things near and far.
- Seek treatment for any possible sleep disorders. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy has been proven the most successful therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, and certain drug treatments have been shown effective for narcolepsy.
- If you’re a shift worker, talk to your employer about your schedule, or inquire about taking brief 10-30 minute naps during your shift.
- If working a rotating schedule talk to your employer about moving your next shift “forward” as it’s easier on the circadian rhythm to sleep in a little more rather than less.
If you have difficulty staying awake while driving, you may also feel tired during the day. Moreover, this may indicate an untreated sleep disorder. At the Alaska Sleep Clinic, we treat thousands of Alaskans each year for sleep disorders. Many patients report chronic drowsiness as their common symptom. Give us a call today, and we can help you sleep better and stay safer on the road.
