When hitting the road, it is important for a driver to be in peak physical and mental condition. This is not only for their own safety, but the safety of everyone around them as well.
Unfortunately, people sometimes decide to hit the road without adequate preparation beforehand. This can include driving while drowsy.
What happens to drowsy drivers?
The CDC takes a close look at the dangers of drowsy driving. In essence, drowsy driving has a similar impact on a driver’s capabilities as intoxication.
This means drowsy drivers are more accident-prone, have a harder time anticipating and expecting dangers, and experience slowed reflexes and delayed response times.
On top of that, drowsy drivers often either fall asleep at the wheel entirely or experience something called microsleeping. This involves a period of unconsciousness that lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 seconds.
Why is this a big deal?
Needless to say, when a driver is unconscious, they have no ability to react to dangers or even other vehicles on the road. Many of the most dangerous and fatal crashes involve drowsy drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. They have a high rate of driving off the side of the road or careening over a divider on a freeway and into oncoming traffic.
Is there a way to combat drowsiness?
Many people falsely believe that wakefulness tips will help them beat the drowsiness. However, these only work for a small amount of time and are not reliable.
Rather, the only way to ensure that a driver has enough rest before hitting the road is for that driver to actually sleep.
