Avoiding Drowsy DrivingHow can you avoid becoming a drowsy driver? There are a number of ways. Some are common sense, others you may never have thought of. First, always try to make sure you get a good night’s rest, so you won’t be tired when driving during the day. You should try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep per day. If you take medications regularly, read the warning labels on those medications. Some of them carry a risk of making you drowsy. If you have such a medication talk to your doctor about alternatives that may not make you drowsy, or try to find someone else who can do the driving. While you have heard not to drink and drive, some people think a drink or two won’t hurt, and that it’s alright as long as they are not drunk. While this may be true, alcohol can also make you tired, and while that one or two drinks may not create a drunk driver, they can create a drowsy driver. If you are heading out on a long drive, make sure to schedule regular breaks. Give your body a chance to get out of the car and get the blood flowing so you are less likely to grow lethargic and tired. Many people avoid stopping if they don’t feel like they are getting tired, but sleepiness can creep up on your quickly, so you should make it a habit to stop every 100 miles or so. Before you ever leave the house, you may want to use an online mapping program to find good stops along the path you will be taking. If you do notice you are getting tired, you need to stop and take a nap. The body responds well to napping, so just a short sleep break of 15 to 20 should be enough to get you safely on your way again. Don’t sleep longer than that. Longer naps actually can make you more tired and make driving even more dangerous. In addition, try to make sure you are not making these long drives alone. If you have another person with you, you can both take turns as you drive to the destination. The other person can also be watching for signs that you are getting sleepy and let you know it’s time to get out of the driver’s seat. Many people believe they have a cure for drowsy driving. Some say caffeine will keep them going. Others employ tricks such as having a cigarette when they get tired, opening the window, or turning the radio up. None of these are real cures. They may instead be a hindrance, giving you a false sense of security. Caffeine, while able to offer a quick energy boost, takes some time to kick in. So, if you are already tired when you first drink it, it may not take effect quickly enough. Also, if you are a regular coffee, soda, or caffeine user, the effect will be much smaller and will not last as long as you likely think it will. For those who think nicotine is the answer, think again. While taking in some nicotine can give a slight improvement in driving performance for a short time, studies say the benefits are far outweighed by the risks. Many believe distractions will help them stay awake so they turn the radio up loud or open a window, hoping the rush of wind will keep them awake. Once again, these will have a short-term effect, but long term, a tired body is still a tired body. Some people have looked to the commercial market for cures to drowsy driving. There are some inventions that claim they will help by sending off an alarm when you start to doze off. The problem is, by this point, you have already lost control of the car, and it could be too little, too late. In this area, the most effective way to make people wake up when they fall asleep at the wheel is the rumble strip on the side of the road. If you have swerved far enough to the side of the road to hit these and have been suddenly jarred awake, it’s time to pull over and take a nap. Update: June 2008 New research released at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies suggests that extended night driving can have extreme negative effects on the driver’s focus and impair his abilities. The study looked at 14 young men, each of whom drove in night sessions of increasing length on an open highway. The researchers recorded swerving and crossing lines, self-analysis of fatigue, and self-analysis of sleepiness. As the drivers participated in longer and longer sessions, their ability to drive slipped away. In the first test (2 hours), the drivers crossed the line 6 times. In the next test (4 hours) the drivers crossed the line 15.4 times. In the final test (8 hours) the drivers crossed the line a stunning 24.3 times. Self-reported fatigue and sleepiness levels also rose along with the length of the drive. "Up to now, regulations have taken into account maximal duration of driving, but the cumulative effects of sleepiness and fatigue were never studied or integrated in the driving regulation," said Pierre Philip, of Université Bordeaux in France, one of the study’s authors. "Here, we show that performance is badly affected by time of the day, and therefore, we think that a warning to limit maximum nocturnal driving duration should be included in professional safety recommendations." The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that adults get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. They have a few easy recommendations to ensure that you can get enough rest. One must establish and follow a routine at bedtime. He must create a setting that is relaxing and comfortable at bedtime. He must get a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night, and avoid caffeine and stimulants in the hours before bedtime. Computers, televisions, and screens of any type should be kept out of the bedroom, as well as food – don’t go to bed hungry, but don’t eat just before bed. Exercise up to six hours before going to sleep will also keep you from a full night’s rest.
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ResourcesAvoiding Drowsy Driving
Countermeasures
Responsibility and the Drowsy Driver
Signs of Drowsiness when Driving
How Well Are You Sleeping? - FDA Consumer Article Circadian gene helps brain predict mealtime Sleep less, live longer? - Increased Death Rate
Associated Circadan Rythyms
"And miles to go before I sleep" (Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening)
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