How to Stay Alert While Driving

Driving for long distances can be really boring 

Traveling for the holidays, for work or even just for the fun of it can be exhausting. With all the other things demanding our attention we rarely pay attention to how tired we are, until we slow down long enough to relax our minds. Nine times out of ten, we are already worn-out before we get into the car; we just don’t realize it. A quick trip to the store generally won’t tell us how tired we are, but driving for an hour or more certainly will (actually for me it’s half an hour). Driving is a boring activity that provides very little physical stimulation and highway hypnosis is common on long trips. Staring at the road lines steadily go by can be very mesmerizing and if you’re sleep-deprived and driving between the hours of 2:00 and 4:00 pm, toothpicks may not be able to keep your eyes open. During those hours, your circadian rhythm, which influences how attentive or sleepy you are during the day, dips. That’s where the expression “afternoon slump” comes from.  This is the time of day when driving can be the most hazardous.

 Tiredness slows response time, reduces responsiveness, and impairs judgment, which can lead to traffic accidents. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that roughly 100,000 crashes yearly are attributed to drowsiness. Here’s what you can do to stay alert while on the road. Pull in to a well lit and occupied convenience store parking lot or gas station the moment you begin to feel drowsy. Get out of the car, stretch your legs, buy some coffee, drink up, and then take a nap for 20 minutes while giving the caffeine a chance to kick in. Plan to drive during the times of the day when you are most alert. Avoid driving during your body’s “down time.” If you normally work third shift, then don’t plan on getting all your driving done during the day. Of course if you sleep all night then don’t push driving at night just because you like the moonlight. Plan a break every 2 hours or every 100 miles. Stop sooner if you get tired. Share the driving with a friend. You’ll have someone to talk to, and you’ll be able to rest up while your friend drives. Drive safe, stay safe, arrive safe!