Have you ever been on the road driving and felt like you were on the verge of falling asleep? It’s a scary concept to contemplate, falling asleep while behind the wheel. It happens all of the time. Fatigued drivers are simply more likely than a fully rested driver to get into an accident. They have a delayed reaction to what is happening in front of them and around them and may not even realize that they are driving unsafely or drifting to the side.
No matter what type of vehicle you are operating, it’s important to be as safe as you can while on the road. You’ve got to be alert and rested if you want to avoid getting into a car accident. Check out our tips for fighting fatigue by reading more down below and reduce your odds of being in an accident.
Get a good night’s sleep.
It’s really important to get a good night of rest. Sleeping and getting a full eight hours may just be the difference between a good day and a bad one. You’re not you when you’re not rested, and your reflexes and ability to react to situations may be slowed down. Always be sure to get 8 hours if you can of solid shut eye to be sure you’re ready for a day on the road.
Pull over if you feel tired in a parking lot or side of the road.
No one’s perfect. There is no shame in pulling over to the side of the road or a parking lot to rest or stretch your legs and wake up. Whether taking a quick nap or switching drivers, it’s a good time to admit you’re not as fresh as you could be and let someone else take over.
Have an energy drink or a coffee if you feel tired.
If you need a little caffeine to perk you back up or an energy drink, do it. If you can’t stop or that’s all that you need, spend the money. It is so much better than waking up to an ambulance or not at all.
Spend the night at a hotel, motel, or inn if you’re feeling too tired to keep on driving.
Don’t force yourself to drive more than you have to. If you can afford it, stop at a motel or hotel to rest.
Roll the windows down if feeling sleepy and you are unable to stop somewhere.
See if you can wake yourself up with some cold air blowing on your face. Don’t turn on the heaters in your vehicle; it can have a soothing effect that compounds a situation where you’re already feeling sleepy.
Observe yourself.
Avoid an accident by paying attention. Notice when you are tired then take steps to correct it. You may be able to prevent an auto accident from happening needlessly.
Those are our tips for staying alert and practicing good driver safety. If you can practice these, you are that much less likely to get into an accident. Thanks for reading and safe driving out there!
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