If you want to get to your destination safe, avoid drowsy driving! However, if you are left with no other choice but to drive while you’re tired, be sure you are aware of the warning signs and the other useful techniques you can use and apply to keep yourself and the other people in your car safe.

Drowsy driving is one of the major problems in America. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that driver drowsiness or fatigue causes 56,000 car accidents, 40,000 non-fatal injuries and over than 1,500 casualties every year.

Drowsy driving and fatigue are different from driver inattention.  Driver inattention can affect any driver, tired or not.  The accidents due to inattention are usually equally serious.  These are mostly caused by anything that diverts your attention from the road like texting, cellphones, dropped objects, spilled drinks, or even fiddling with the car’s other control and entertainment systems. Sadly these are some of the conscious efforts you do, while drowsy driving starts sneaking up on you.

Some of the common signs of drowsy driving that are easily recognizable are: repeated yawns, having a hard timekeeping your eyes open,  your mind wanders without knowing what took place after you’ve driven some distance,  high-way hypnosis or the unconscious tailgating and slow reactions,  difficulty staying in lane,  and having a hard time holding your speed.

How to Stay Awake

Some time-tested techniques like rolling down the windows while driving or  singing as loud as you can are now proven ineffective. When you’re really exhausted and your body needs to rest, it is really hard to stay awake.

If you’re planning a long trip or you regularly drive long distances, it is necessary that you have proper rest before you drive. When you haven’t gotten enough sleep, it is best to take frequent stops to rest or stretch— this is ideal if done at least every two hours. During your stops, make sure to get out of your car, walk around the area, and buy a cup of coffee or any caffeinated drink.
 

How Roads Can Keep You Alert

Road designs can be factors to help prevent or reduce the mishaps caused by driving while drowsy or fatigued. Long straightaways can calm you while driving, especially if traffic is not that heavy for cruise control. Some roads, like the New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway, are designed with gradual curves and with straightaways that are not longer than a mile or so.  These types of roads help keep the drivers engaged to the road.

Moreover, most of today’s high-speed roads have rumble strips across the road.  These are grooves or rows of raised pavement  that help drivers get emphatic feedback through noise and vibration while on the road.   Also, rumble strips before the upcoming toll booths help drivers whose mind wanders to notice the nearing booths, this will give them enough time to lower speed.

There are other roads with lane-marking reflectors installed in the road surface. These reflectors help give feedback to drivers and keep them from mind-wandering while driving.