The 8 Warning Signs Of Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving is the unhealthy combination of driving and fatigue or sleepiness and is common in the United States. The cause of drowsy driving is commonly attributed to sleep deprivation on the part of the driver, medications, alcoholism, untreated sleep disorders, and/or shift work.

While falling asleep when driving is dangerous, being sleepy impairs your ability to drive safely even if you don’t fall asleep. Drowsiness can make you lose focus while on the road and slow down your reaction time in times of emergency, like when you suddenly need to brake. It can also limit your decision-making.

This article will examine the eight warning signs of drowsy driving. Let’s dive in.

What are the 8 Drowsy Driving Warning Signs to Watch for?

Let’s examine the eight drowsy driving signs that you should be mindful of:

• Difficulty in focusing on the road while driving, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
• Disconnected thoughts, wandering eyes, daydreaming
• Difficulty remembering the last few miles driven
• Ignoring traffic signs
• Repeated yawning or rubbing your eyes
• Feelings of restlessness, irritation, or regular annoyances like sitting in a traffic jam
• Having a hard time keeping your head up
• Tailgating, lane drifting, or hitting shoulder rumble strips

If you notice these warning signs for drowsy driving, pull over to a safe place and get some rest, stretch, or drink a caffeinated beverage. Only continue driving when you feel alert and refreshed.

How Common Is Drowsy Driving?

The National Sleep Foundation poll in 2005 found that sixty percent of adult drivers reported driving drowsy in the past year. CDC’s survey data showed that one in every 25 adults had fallen asleep in their car in the past month.

Who’s more likely to drive drowsy?

So, who’s more likely to drive drowsy? Usually, it’s a driver who doesn’t get enough sleep. Although that may be too obvious, it’s more rampant than many people realize and often happens to commercial drivers who drive company vehicles, particularly for long hours.

Drowsy driving happens in shift workers who regularly change shifts, for instance, working the day shift followed by a night shift, and drivers taking medications that cause drowsiness. Furthermore, drivers challenged with sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea may also drive drowsy.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, research shows fatalities and driving crashes arising from drowsy driving are more likely to occur between midnight at 6:00 a.m. or late in the afternoon. These fatal crashes occur on rural roads and highways and usually involve only a single driver (without passengers) swerving off the road at high speed without applying brakes.

Preventing Drowsy Driving

There’s a higher risk of drowsy driving if you drive several hours daily. However, you can do a few things before entering your motor vehicle to avoid entering the league of drowsy drivers.

1. Consult a medical personnel if you feel you have a sleep disorder

You should reach out to your doctor if you see that you’re showing symptoms of a sleep disorder. Trained medical personnel will be able to suggest viable treatment options. If you must take your medications regularly, carefully read the label to know if it can cause drowsiness. In addition, ensure you speak to your pharmacist if you have any concerns before taking the medication.

2. Get enough sleep

This second tip is essential; get quality sleep and avoid driving when sleep-deprived. Most adults require a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night.

Try to develop good sleeping habits and follow a sleep schedule. Anytime you feel sleepy, rest and don’t push yourself too hard.

In addition, ensure you get healthy sleep at the same time every day according to your sleep schedule. It is harder to pay attention and focus as a driver if you don’t get a good night’s sleep regularly. It can affect your alertness, coordination, sense of judgment, and reaction time while driving.

3. Avoid consuming alcohol before bed

Avoid drinking alcohol and other sedatives before taking a nap because high blood alcohol content could interfere with your sleeping pattern and make you feel fatigued the next day. It’s crucial to stop alcohol intake, even if it’s several hours before you go to bed, as alcohol is a depressant and can cause drowsiness later. In addition, also limit the use of electronic devices like your mobile phone, laptop, or even watching a movie before bed.

4. Take breaks

Your body’s internal clock will require you to get some sleep during your regular sleep time. You can avoid drowsiness by breaking up your driving hours into smaller segments.

Shift workers on a night shift should add more frequent breaks to their driving schedule. Moving around can assist in curtailing drowsiness and helps to rejuvenate you.

Drowsy driving often happens when people are idle, you can invite a friend to join you and assist in looking out for any warning signs of driver fatigue and switch drivers when required.

Since most drowsy driving occurs when people are alone, invite a co-pilot to share some driving duties. Plus, the conversation can help keep you more alert.

5. Eat well and be careful with caffeine consumption

An excellent way to prevent drowsy driving is to eat healthily. Eating foods with a lot of fat can cause drowsiness, so stay away from such foods. Although several drivers take caffeinated beverages like energy drinks to help them remain alert and active, the effects of the caffeine will wear off eventually. And when it does, you’ll become drowsy again.

Final thoughts

Don’t play any of the known tricks to avoid falling asleep. For instance, some drivers use fresh air from open windows, air conditioning, or raising the music volume in the car to delay sleep. Instead of using such tricks to stay awake, pull your car over and get some rest before you continue your journey.