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Drive Alert

Drive Alert. Arrive Alive.

How many times have you been driving, and just for a moment, nodded off? The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 1.5% of all car crashes are related to driver sleepiness. The National Sleep Foundation concurs: About one million car crashes annually are thought to be the result of driver inattention. Sleep deprivation and fatigue encourage lapses in driving attentively.

Who’s at risk?

  • Anyone who feels fatigued or is not well-rested.
  • Those who drive long distances without breaks.
  • Those who drive during periods when they are normally asleep.
  • Those who drive alone.
  • Those who drive on long stretches of highway or rural roads.
  • Young people who tend to stay up late, sleep less, and drive at night.
  • Shift workers, particularly those who work at night, or who have regular change in shifts.
  • Commercial truck drivers who often drive at night when the body is ready for sleep.
  • Individuals with undiagnosed sleep disorders, like insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy.

What should the drowsy driver do?

  • Look for warning signs of fatigue: wandering across lanes, yawning, trouble keeping one’s eyes open, jerking your vehicle back into the lane.
  • Don’t count on the radio, an open window, or coffee to keep you awake.
  • Pull off into a safe area away from traffic and take a brief nap (15-45 minutes). Do so as soon as you notice signs of fatigue, because a microsleep can occur at any time.

How to prepare for a road trip without fatigue?

  • Get a good night’s sleep – generally eight hours.
  • Plan to drive long trips with a companion so you can switch drivers. Passengers should stay awake to help keep the driver awake.
  • Schedule regular stops – every 100 miles or two hours.
  • Avoid alcohol, over-the-counter and prescribed medications that may make one drowsy.
  • If you have trouble staying awake, even following these suggestions, talk to your family doctor about feeling drowsy while driving.

Credit: National Sleep Foundation



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