You’ve been driving for a while, alone, and start to yawn. Your eyes get heavy. Suddenly, your head snaps up and you realize you dozed off for a millisecond.
Think it can’t happen to you? Think again. Within any 30-day period, about one in 25 drivers over the age of 18 reports having fallen asleep while driving, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More Fast Facts About Drowsy Driving
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that drowsy driving leads to 100,000 police-reported crashes each year, resulting in 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and a $12.5 billion cost to the economy.
- Adults between 18 and 29 are the most likely to drive while drowsy (71% vs. 52% for 30- to 64-year-olds, or 19% for those aged 65 and over), according to the National Sleep Foundation.
- People with children are more likely to drive while drowsy than people without children (59% vs. 45%).
6 Ways To Stay Alert On The Road—And Keep Safe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9vk_rpHMpk&feature=youtu.be
- Sleep sufficiently. The National Sleep Foundation recommends getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
- Stay engaged. Chat with your passengers or sing along to some tunes. Before driving, pick a playlist (or podcast) that will rev you up. If you’re talking on the phone, use hands-free.
- Pair up. When traveling long distances, taking turns behind the wheel allows you to rest without putting your trip on pause.
- Get some air. Roll down your windows for a blast of air and consider looking for a safe place to pull over to take a 20-minute nap. If you’re on the highway, the stimulating sounds of the rushing wind can also help keep you alert.
- Catch up on your reading. Audiobooks can help keep your attention—try an app or a local library for audio titles before you go.
- Take a break. Get out and stretch, use the restroom or get a snack every 100 miles or 2 hours.
Learning defensive driving techniques can help you become a better driver and earn you a discount on car insurance. Visit GEICO’s defensive driver discounts section for more information.
Next: 7 Bad Driving Habits to Avoid
Illustration by Sébastien Thibault
Video Animation by Heather Van Gilder
Voice-Over by Steven Scott
Mohamed Cheikh says,
I think we should know about the situations like this, cause when you turn your car on , you are responsible to protect others before your’self. ..
buddy says,
I drive 5+ hours pretty regularly. Eye drops and cool temperature help but the ONE thing that I have found to work every time I’ve started to feel sleepy is eating sunflower seeds with the shell on. Shelling them in your mouth focuses you mind. It works.
E.T.A says,
Sunflower Seeds. Put a lil in your mouth and a have a empty cup available for shell disposal.
steve bowe says,
Rumble strips have been a great help on Super highways . Fact an estimated 34 % decrease in run off crashes after the strips have been installed. The bottom line is if you are dozzing off pulling over is a good thing . but a short nap is going to do little of nothing when you back on the highway. Your body needs time to rest. Thsi is only a temporary bandaid to the underlying problem of not getting your proper sleep. NSC INST. STEVE BOWE
AlliMohamed says,
The best thing to do is stop at a gas station take a 10 min nap good coffee and continue. At the end of the day counts reach safe to your loves ones
roy levi says,
I have found that when I become tired while driving, chewing gum makes me alert again. don’t know why but it works. of course I’m not saying to drive when you should sleep, only that chewing gum helps you stay alert.
OSKAR BECHLER says,
DO NOT DRIVE, IF YOU FEEL NOT WELL AND HAVE DOUBT ABOUT YOUR ENRGY AND CONTROL YOUR CAR, DO NOT DRINK AND EAT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING AND FIDDLE NOT WITH ALL THE BUTTON ON YOUR DASHBOARD AND GO SIGHTSEEING. WATCH THE WINDOWS MIRRORS LEFT AND RIGHT, WHEN UPSET DO NOT DRIVE, WHEN YOU GET FIRED GO HOME AND REST. DO NOT PLAY WITH HOUR CELL PHONE, AND HAVE YOUR CAR IN CONTROL, AVOID CONVERSATION WITH A ANOTHER DRIVER, WHO THINKS HE KNOWS THE ROUTE BETTER, STUDY FIRST WHERE YOU WANT TO GOWANT TO GO. THE BEST PARKING SPOT IS AT THE END OF THE LOT, WALK A LITTLE AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE KEYS AND WINDOWS CLOSED, NO DOGS OR CATS OR BIRDS AND CHILDREN AND WALLET ON THE SEAT, THE CRIMINAL SEES AND KNOWS YOUR CARELESSNESS ALOHA OSKAR DONT DRINK DONT DRIVE.
guiletta says,
I agree Oskar
lester gay says,
I’m a retired truck driver the question that I would leave with you is you and your family take a fun family ride together on a beautiful day and you met a vehicle carrying 82000pounds Please!!! stop in a safe place to get some rest or help if needed Please for others sake
Russell Novotny says,
Does smelling salts help with drowsy driving?
Alvin English says,
I have made numerous long drives across country alone. Here are my personal rules of the road for long drives of 6 hours and more.
1. Six hours sleep is the bare minimum. No amount of coffee replaces uninterrupted sleep. Be prepared to delay the trip until you can get at least 6 hours of life saving sleep.
2. Stay entertained to fight the boredom of a long drive. I prepare hours of music playlists for my trips. I bring along a Kindle reader and play a few audio books through the automobile’s sound system.
3. Keep those eyes moist. I carry a wet towel to refresh my face and tear ducts. I use eyedrops at every stop along the way.
4. Keep the interior of the car chilly, it will help you stay alert.
5. Using a window mounted GPS unit, instead of a map, allows you to keep your eyes on the road.
6. When you are tired pull off the road and call it a day. If you are irritable, pull off the road.
Suzanne S says,
Alvin English knows what time it is- Safety first. Always.
Alvin Porter says,
I’ve found out that become sleepy while driving might be caused by air blown from vents ln your dash. Putting some lubicating drops in your eyes seems to correct the problem.
laura morency says,
If something like that happens just pull over and take a break.
F donato says,
I find that bringing a couple of apples w u on a long trip helps to keep u awake -take small bites as u r driving and maybe few pretzels – works for me
Jorge says,
Take a break every hour and a half and stop for coffee if you notice you’re getting the sense of drowsiness. No heavy meals before going on a road trip, and if you do, take at least a half hour to an hour nap before getting behind the wheel again. If you can avoid it, have someone else drive that has not had a big meal. That meal makes you really drowsy. It works for me.
Dali Burgado says,
Very sound tips! Thanks for contributing, Jorge! Good stuff.
Richard Rivera says,
Very good advise
Ahmad Abubaker says,
Yes it is true , the drowsy drivers danger for them self and to the others, but the question is some one how can avoid to those drivers before happen? yes some times some one can see or realize unstable driver around of him/her, But not all the time.