A Wakeup Call For Drowsy Drivers
Do you ever find yourself dozing off while driving down a busy highway? Well, here’s your morning wake up call: Don’t!
According to WebMD, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates at least 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths each year in this country that are the result of a driver falling asleep at the wheel.
To make matters worse, about half of U.S. adults admit to driving while drowsy and 17% have actually napped at the wheel.
A few months ago a drowsy Denver woman was ticketed for driving down I-25 for more than 30 miles while she was nodding off!
Drowsy driving occurs even in the friendly skies. The Federal Aviation Administration opened up a recent investigation to determine if two Go! Airline pilots were snoozing in the cockpit during a flight from Honolulu to Hilo. Hilo air traffic controllers complained they were unable to contact the pilots for 25 minutes after the plane overshot the airport by 15 miles!
How are drowsy drivers hazardous to you? Driving without enough sleep is hazardous to everyone’s health. Why? Drowsy drivers have slower reaction times, impaired judgment and vision, and pay less attention to important signs, road changes and actions of other drivers.
Who are the most likely drowsy driver candidates? The ones most likely to be drowsy drivers are young people, especially males between the ages of 18 to 25. Young men in this category tend to not get enough sleep. Too much partying . . . Dude!
In addition, shift workers, college students (especially during finals week), individuals with untreated sleep disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy, and commercial drivers are also candidates.
What’s the proper amount of sleep you need to keep you awake on the road? Pat Britz, education and research manager at the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C. says, "If you are going to drive, make sure you get eight hours of sleep the night before or take a nap on the day you depart.”
Studies have shown only one-third of Americans get their recommended eight hours of sleep each night.
How can you detect the warning signs of sleepiness? Here are several can’t miss signs: difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open; trouble keeping your head up; yawning repeatedly; wandering, disconnected thoughts or day dreaming; feeling restless or irritable; drifting from your lane; tailgating and missing traffic signs or exits.
How do you prevent yourself from falling into the trap of drowsy driving?
•On long trips drivers should schedule stops or rest every two hours and alternate drivers.
•Avoid alcohol or sedating medicines while driving. If you’re taking antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and certain antihistamines, be aware these are drugs that can make you unfit for driving.
•Two cups of coffee can increase your short-term alertness. However, you can never make up for eight hours of sleep with two cups of hot steaming java.
•Open the windows or blast the A/C for a cold slap in the face.
•Try listening to the radio or some CDs. You never know when your son’s heavy metal rock CDs might come in handy.
•Stop to eat or drink.
•Talk or sing to yourself.
•Splash water in your face.
•Depending on how desperate you are, slap or pinch yourself.
•The best way to fight drowsiness is to pull over to a safe parking spot and take a 20-minute nap.
Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep at the wheel.
John
Email John: johnsblog@teshmedia.com
Don’t forget. My new hardcover book Intelligence For Your Life: Powerful Lessons for Personal Growth will be released March 11th. You can pre-order my book before March 11th at half price and you'll receive a free concert DVD by just clicking here.
Dear John
Drowsiness can hit you even after a full nights sleep. It is so dangerous and even more drowsy driver accidents go un-reported. Check out www.drowsydriver.org. The info there is very interesting and from what I gather, the remedy has been around for a long time.
Rodney Medina
Posted by: rodney medina | March 25, 2008 at 03:40 AM
Dear John,
Drowsiness can come at any time, even after a full nights sleep. Read the information on the above website, I found it quite interesting and it looks like a remedy may be at hand.
Rodney Medina
Posted by: rodney medina | March 25, 2008 at 03:36 AM
Dear John, I was reading your article about drowsy drivers, well I was one of them and I didn't really think about the other person I just always seemed to be in a hurry to where I was going, I found myself several times starting to nod off and travel into another lane I was lucky because there wasn't anyone on the road, I am saying to myself girl you better pull off the road, well I didn't I opened the window, turned the air conditioner on, turned up the music but John not even thinking about the other persons I could have hurt if there was someone else on the road, when I read your article and the amount of people that do this and the amount of people that die from this insane act, that is what I think of it now. But I realize now that there isn't any place in the world that is more important than another life and if I have saved one more person from me not driving while drowsy that is all it is going to take for me to not drive drowsy. The advice you give is worth more than words can say and I thank you for all that you share with the people that enjoy your show so much. My husband also thanks you for the article about the drowsy driver because I won't let him drive even though I am tired. Now the answer is pulling off to a motel and getting some rest or if a rest area is closer that is going to be the stop for us.
Thanks John you have saved our lives as well as others, it only takes the one time to nod off and that is it.
Thanks so much Sandy
Posted by: Sandy Lord | February 27, 2008 at 01:41 AM
Hi, my name is Genevieve and I am fourteen. I'm only a recent listener to your radio show. But I've learned many interesting things. This is awesome information to know.
Posted by: Genevieve | February 26, 2008 at 09:21 PM