You’ve been on the road for over eight hours. With the exception of a couple of brief stops to gulp down a hamburger and to relieve yourself, some 500 miles now separate you from the point where you first positioned yourself into the driver’s seat. It’s getting dark outside. Your eyelids are getting heavy. Soon, those white lines that divide the right and left lanes of the Interstate become blurred. Your car begins to drift a bit as you realize that you nodded off for a couple of seconds. You shudder a bit and correct your course. Fortunately, there was no other traffic to your side. A few more minutes pass, and the whole process starts over again, but this time, your car has swayed to the right and the grooved pavement of the shoulder wakes you up.
How many of you readers have experienced this or something similar? If you’ve been a licensed driver for an appreciable number of years, it’s a safe bet that many will concur that this has happened at one time or another. It’s a hazardous situation to find yourself in; to say the least.
Some 100,000 yearly vehicle accidents in the United States alone can be attributed to falling asleep at the wheel. In the worst-case scenario, these accidents can be fatal.
So how can we avoid falling asleep while driving? The best course of action is to ensure that we’ve had adequate rest prior to taking that trip in the first place. In other words, it’s a bad idea to plan on driving 600 miles to visit Grandma if you were up until 3:00 AM. The typical person needs 7-8 hours of sleep in order to be well-rested and prepared for another day of productive activity. But of course, there are times when we may have no choice in the matter.
In these instances, there are many ways to remain alert. For starters, coffee is the best legal stimulant out there. Then again, this isn’t everybody’s go-go juice of choice. Many people who don’t drink coffee get their motivation from soda-pop that contains just as much if not more caffeine than coffee. Mountain Dew is but one such example. In recent times, there has also been a wide assortment of energy drinks available. Before trying such beverages; however, it would be wise to have a checkup to make sure you can handle it. These drinks raise the heart rate and blood pressure considerably. There are also pills available over-the- counter that are designed to keep one alert. Basically, they are legal amphetamines (or “speed”), so again, it would be wise to see a physician before giving them a try.
If you don’t happen to have access to caffeinated beverages and you find you are getting tired and/or sleepy, it is best to pull into a rest area or wayside. Take a short nap. Get out and walk a bit. The fresh air and excersise willl rejuvenate you.
If the nearest rest area is some distance away, try turning the radio up or putting in your favorite CD. Roll your windows down and let let the air blow into your car’s cabin. This will aid in keeping you awake until you can exit the highway. This particular advice does NOT stem from urban legend as another author put it, for these techniques were stressed repeatedly in high school driver’s education courses. (At least they were back in the 1970s. Why would anything change?) If you have some chewing gum or sweets handy, get out a piece. Sugar will act as a temporary stimulant and help in keeping you awake.
Obviously, if you feel you are too tired to drive, then you probably are. If you firmly believe that you are so fatigued that none of the preceding tips will work in your case, then stay home. Get some sleep instead!
Sleep deprivation while driving can be just as bad as slamming down a few cocktails before getting behind the wheel. Don’t embark on that road trip unless you are positive that you can stay awake for the duration or until you can find lodging.
And remember: Rest stops are called rest stops for a reason.