Tips to Stay Awake When Driving

According to Drivers.com, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that approximately 100,000 police-reported crashes annually involve drowsiness and/or fatigue as a principal cause. Those crashes result in an estimated 1,500 fatalities and 71,000 injuries each year, costing approximately $12.5 billion.

Here are some of the best tips to avoid falling asleep while driving.

Before a trip, do the following:

• Get adequate sleep the night before (7-9 hours).  When you don’t get enough sleep, your body will try to make it up somehow.
• Schedule breaks every 2 hours during long trips.
• Arrange to travel with a companion -- someone to talk with and share the driving.
• Avoid driving between midnight and the early morning hours -- this is usually the time I have the most trouble, especially driving home after a late night flight.
• Avoid alcohol and sedating medications -- check your labels or ask your doctor.
• Avoid having a large meal and then setting out to drive.

Even with the best intentions, you may still find yourself falling asleep while driving.  If you do, watch for the warning signs:

• Yawning
• Heavy eyelids, frequent blinking, watery eyes and rubbing the eyes
• Cannot keep your mind focused
• Trouble remembering the last few miles driven
• Drifting from the lane, hitting the rumble strips
• Head bobbing

If you do find yourself getting drowsy while driving, here are some countermeasures to prevent an accident:

• Take a nap -- find a safe place to take a 15 to 20-minute nap.  Again, I cannot emphasize enough that this is the only guaranteed way to combat drowsy driving.  Taking a rest may get you to your destination a little bit later, but as the video says, think of it as the "rest" of your life. 
• Stop driving and find a place to sleep for the night.
• Consume caffeine -- 2 cups of coffee or equivalent can increase alertness for several hours.  Remember that caffeine may take some time to take effect.
• Try consuming caffeine before taking a short nap to get the benefits of both.

Courtesy of BlogHer.