No one wants to be the next drowsy driving statistic, yet people die every year due to someone who was too tired to drive getting behind the wheel. One of the reasons this happens as often as it does is because people often underestimate how tired they are and overestimate how safe it is to for them to drive.
With that in mind, we have provided a few tips to help you reduce the chances that you will accidently become a statistic in the column of drowsy driving accidents. If you have already been injured in an accident, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.
The Best Advice is Simple: Get Enough Sleep
The fact of the matter is that the best thing you can do to protect yourself from being involved in a drowsy driving accident is to get enough sleep. According to experts, this should be between seven and eight hours of sleep for the average adult. Doing so not only helps reduce your chances of driving while drowsy, but it can help reduce your chances for certain health conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep Before a Trip
While it is always a good idea to get a good night sleep before driving, it is even more important when you are traveling a long distance or will be driving for a long period of time. It is difficult enough to drive half an hour to get to and from work, but when you are driving for 12+ hours, being properly rested is essential. Choosing not to do so can risk your safety and the safety of everyone else in your vehicle and on the road.
Make sure Your Teen Driver is Getting Enough Sleep
Teenagers need more sleep than adults because they are still growing and maturing. This makes them even more likely to drive while drowsy. When you add to that the fact that they are biologically more impulsive and have less driving experience, it is easy to see that teens must get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel.
Do Not Drive After Consuming Any Amount of Alcohol
Do not assume that as long as you are under the legal limit of 0.08 BAC, you are driving safely. The truth is that any amount of alcohol can make you drowsier than you were. If you get a drink after a long day at work and then get behind the wheel, you might not be safe to drive.
Check Your Medications
Anytime you are taking medication for the first time or changing your dosage, make sure that it does not cause drowsiness. Even over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness. For example, most allergy pills can make some people extremely tired when they are used.
