Everything A Driver Should Know About Drowsy Driving Prevention
Drowsy driving causes 100,000 crashes each year, according to DrowsyDriving.org. Preventing it is one of the best things that you can do. The more you know about drowsy driving, the easier it will be for you to prevent it from happening to you.
Know If You're at Risk
Did you know younger drivers are more at risk than older drivers when it comes to driving fatigue? In fact, those under 25 cause the majority of crashes due to fatigue. For some young drivers, this is because they have yet to learn their own limitations. This is also the same group of drivers who are staying up all night to study for an exam before commuting to school and/or work on no sleep.
Individuals who suffer from sleep conditions such as insomnia are also at a higher risk of drowsy driving. Commercial drivers are also known to be at risk due to how much driving they do without stopping and getting enough sleep. Just knowing you are at risk of drowsy driving may help you take necessary steps to prevent yourself from becoming another statistic.
Know the Warning Signs
If your eyelids start to feel heavy, you are at risk of falling asleep and causing an accident. The same is true of repeated yawning, delayed reaction time, inability to stay in your lane, and poor short-term memory. If you find yourself struggling to focus or missing your turns, it may be best for you to pull over and get some rest. Lastly, if you happen to doze off and wake up, you need to pull over and sleep for a while.
Know How to Prevent Drowsy Driving
The best way of prevent accidents and driving while fatigued is to not get behind of the wheel until you have had plenty of rest. This isn't always practical, especially if you are a commercial driver.
If you need to drive, make sure you plan plenty of breaks within your drive. Even though you have a break planned, if you do feel tired and find it hard to concentrate, pull the vehicle over and take your rest as soon as you need it. Sometimes getting out of the vehicle and walking around can help too.
When you can, have someone else in the car with you to talk to while traveling. This will help you take your mind off the fact that you're tired. Your passenger will also be able to look out for the signs, encouraging you to pull over when you need to. If you don't have someone with you, listening to the radio while driving can help.
Drowsy driving is extremely dangerous. SleepFoundation.org states that 60% of people have driven while tired, with 37% of people falling asleep at the wheel. Don't be part of those statistics by knowing how to spot and prevent drowsy driving. Should you ever feel tired behind the wheel, just pull over.
For a car accident attorney, contact a lawyer such as Terrence Salerno Law Office.