Driving While Intoxicated? Try Driving While Sleepy!
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 11 Comments »BY AUDREY AMISTAD
Not only is driving while intoxicated dangerous and illegal, it is sometimes the equivalent of driving drowsy. You may say drunk driving is way worse but research shows that driving under four hours of sleep is the same as driving with an alcohol level of .08%.
Over time, specifically 4 or 5 decades, surveys show that the amount of sleep that Americans get has been decreasing. Because 24 hours is not enough in a day for people to fulfill their busy schedules, they often cut in their time of sleep to get the rest of their work done.
It is very important to educate people to the many dangers of driving when drowsy. This will hopefully prevent future accidents. It was estimated by the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 100,000 crashes are reported every year from sleepiness and fatigue. This is a conservative estimate for a few reasons. It is hard to measure actual driver fatigue like there is a standard test to measure one’s alcohol level. Another reason is that when drowsy drivers drive, they usually drive alone.
Luckily, there are many steps to prevent falling asleep while driving. Step 1 is to recognize how important sleep is and to try to get at least 7 to 8 hours every night. Step 2 is get treatments for sleep disorders. Step 3 is to avoid driving from 2am to 6am when sleepy because that is when the urge to sleep is the strongest. Step 4 is drink caffeine to increase alertness. Step 5 is pull over as soon as you feel like you are sleepy. Step 6 is to avoid driving by yourself especially if you’re driving far distances in the middle of the night. Step 7 is to stop and take a break every 2 hours for driving long distances. Step 8 is to talk to your kids about driving drowsy.
Link:
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/driving-drowsy-as-dangerous-as-driving-drunk-studies-show/
Great post! I just wanted to add that when I drive and I’m sleepy I usually put on loud and upbeat music so I stay awake. Have you ever tried this?
Great blog, very interesting and scary! Driving when tired is the worst thing ever and can be a big cause of accidents. Loud music definitely helps or caffeine. When traveling long distances always have a friend in the car just incase you get to tired and need them to drive or keep you awake! Very well written.
This was a very informative blog! I found it interesting how driving drowsy can be equivalent to driving drunk! Whenever I feel tired behind the wheel I usually open my window so that I can get fresh air, that helps wake me up and I also play loud music. I liked how you included different steps that can help prevent falling asleep while driving.
Awesome blog! I never realized how true the comparison is between driving under the influence and driving tired. Twice a week, I have very long days starting at 8 and ending finally around midnight. Coming home from work can be very tiresome, even if it is just a five minute drive. I try to stay awake by playing loud music, but it’s hard because I know as soon as I get home I’m going straight to sleep. Great blog, very informative.
Driving while tired is so not good! While driving to Miami from NY by myself, I experienced sever drowsiness because I was determined to get there in under 22 hours and I refused to pull over for a rest. Well about 19 hours into my drive I began hallucinating and falling asleep. I fell asleep behind the wheel and drifted off the road onto the grass. Thankfully, I was awakened by the bumps and I didn’t get into an accident. I decided enough was enough and took a well needed rest.
Great story! I can’t tell you how many times this happens to me. When i am driving and i didn’t get any sleep the night before, i can barely keep my eyes open. I always like to grab some espresso and put on loud music to get through the drive and stay awake.
Wow, very interesting! I’ve definitely been guilty of driving while very tired, and one time I almost ran right up onto the grass exiting from the Meadowbrook onto M4! I’m lucky I wasn’t in the left lane. I am very, very against drunk driving, and I realized that driving while tired was dangerous, but I never thought it was as bad as drunk driving! I’ll make sure to keep some Red Bull in my car.
I also would be curious to see what policy makers could do to cut down on driving while being tired. Since it can be just as dangerous as drunk driving, I feel like something should be done. It is unfortunate that there is no way to really measure a level of tiredness like we can measure BAC with a breathalizer. Maybe cops should become more aware of this issue and target for reckless driving, at least.
A friend of mine used to doze off while he was driving all the time and I used to think it was so strange until it happened to me. I caught myself dozing off once or twice when I was driving and it was so scary. I had to open all the windows and put the music all the way up to keep myself awake.
This is a great blog! I have a cousin that got into an accident this year because he was driving home after a long shift and very little sleep. Everyone is aware of how dangerous driving while intoxicated is, but people tend to forget about the dangers of sleeping while drowsy.
Great post!! i feel like this is something that people dont really think of as dangerous but it definitely is. Looking back now there are many times that I drive when im extremely tired and probably shouldnt drive at all. Interesting article, good job!
Great blog! I always knew driving while tired wasn’t the best idea, but I had no idea that it was equivalent to driving with .08 alcohol blood level! Very interesting topic, it really caught my attention. This is why bluetooth is a great invention; when you’re sleepy, call a friend and they can keep you awake!