Falling Asleep While Driving

By | September 22, 2011

The Dangers Of Falling Asleep While Driving

Falling asleep while driving is massively dangerous. Not only do you risk killing yourself but, and this is more likely, you risk killing someone else, leaving a lifelong scar in someone else’s life, or lives, and a guilty conscious that will plague you for the remainder of your life. Do you still think it’s worth driving while too tired? I hope the answer is no.

I speak from first hand experience with this problem, as a friend I know fell asleep while driving, and this happened about ten years ago. He was lucky not to be killed when his car came off the road. Unfortunately, in accidents involving tiredness and fatigue, people normally die, and it tends to be either innocent pedestrians or other road users that get killed rather than the driver.

All drivers therefore have a responsibility, not just to ourselves, but to other people, not to drive when we know we are in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. Sometimes we get an early warning when the head starts to nod and we realise that sleep is imminent. Heed that warning. There really is no excuse. Up and down the country you very often see road signs warning of the dangers of falling asleep while driving. So given we know the risks, the sensible course of action is to pull off the road, if already driving, and have a rest. This is the only remedy which works.

You might want to believe that it’s OK to drive if you open a window to let in some fresh air, or turn the radio volume up high. Forget it, experts say these things don’t work. Only taking a proper rest works. The National Sleep Foundation has some tips on preventing drowsy driving.

The following video shows the dangers to younger drivers, who by the way are the age group most at risk, of drowsy driving.

I have some more tips for you:

Tips To Prevent Falling Asleep While Driving.

Have some company in the vehicle. It’s good to have someone to talk to.

Get a good night’s sleep the night before driving.

Don’t drive for more than two hours without taking a break.

Avoid driving in the early hours of the morning. That’s the time of day when I remember starting to nod off, many years ago.

Make sure you don’t have any residual alcohol in your body. Or, if you are on medication, check if it’s safe for you to drive.

Driving after a big meal can also make you feel sleepy, I know it does for me, and that can put you at risk if you are considering driving a vehicle.

These are all common sense tips that can help avoid unnecessary accidents and possibly deaths on the roads. By following this advice, you can take comfort in the fact that you are less likely to become a statistic in road accidents due to falling asleep while driving. Be safe, not sorry.

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