Drowsy driving can be similar to drunk driving. You lose awareness of your surroundings, your reaction time decreases, and you have lowered judgement. It can impact your driving very heavily, and because of this, makes it very dangerous to drive with a lack of sleep.
Drowsy Driving: Tips to Avoid Drowsiness
Sleep
This is the first tip because it is the most obvious. Getting the required and recommended amount of sleep before a long road trip will help you avoid drowsy driving. You should sleep when you usually do, and travel when you are usually awake. Stay over night at a nearby hotel rather than driving straight through, especially when traveling alone.
Plan Your Day
Plan out stops and rests. You should try to rest every few hours on the road. Try to get out, stretch, and walk around at rest stops to get your body moving and going again. If you are feeling tired in between planned stops, pull over as soon as you can to avoid drowsy driving.
Drink Caffeine
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages will help you stay alert on the road. Drink a coffee or energy drink in a relaxed environment, and then get on the road shortly after. By allowing the caffeine to do its job, you will have greater benefits from the beverage. You can nap during this time, too! You should not solely rely on caffeine to combat drowsy driving.
Travel With Others
Having company in the car while you travel is a great way to keep yourself occupied and awake. Having passengers to talk to, sing with, and ride with will make your ride go much faster. More importantly, however, it will be much safer. If your passenger is able, you could try switching drivers to allow everyone a turn to take a rest from the steering wheel. Drowsy driving could affect everyone in the car and others on the road.
If you find yourself struggling to keep your head up or your eyes open and focused, you might be too tired to drive. There are many other symptoms of drowsy driving. If you are feeling disconnected or missing exits and turns, it might be time to take a break.