- Plan ahead and get plenty of
sleep before hitting the road
- If you start to feel tired,
pull over
- If you are not stopping for
the night, find a safe, well-lit area and take a 15-20
minute nap.
Being well-rested or stopping
when you feel tired are the best defenses against falling
asleep at the wheel. Caffeine from coffee or energy drinks
can promote short-term alertness, but it takes 30 minutes
for it to enter the bloodstream. Blasting a radio, opening
a window or other similar tricks to stay awake have not
proven to be effective defenses against drowsiness.
In a 2002 poll, nearly two in ten drivers admitted to
falling asleep at the wheel in the past year. (National
Sleep Foundation)
51 percent of adult drivers feel sleepy while they are
driving. (National Sleep Foundation)
Males and young adults ages 18 to 29 are at the highest
risk for drowsy driving. (National Sleep Foundation)
Other groups at high risk are shift workers whose sleep
is disrupted by working at night or working long or irregular
hours and people with untreated sleep apnea syndrome and
narcolepsy. (NCSDR/NHTSA joint report “Drowsy Driving
& Automobile Crashes”)
