Why is drowsy driving dangerous

Ronshay Dugans was killed in when her school bus was hit by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. Young drivers, shift workers, commercial drivers and people with untreated sleep disorders or with short-term or chronic sleep deprivation are at an increased risk for drowsy driving crashes. Commercial Motor Vehicle CMV drivers will be issued a Uniform Commercial Citation if the driver is found to be an ill or fatigued operator at the time of a crash.

The results can be deadly. Drowsy driving poses a serious safety risk to the health and safety of the drowsy driver, his or her passengers, and other drivers and passengers on the road.

However, the dangers of drowsy driving go beyond falling asleep at the wheel. Being overly tired can negatively impact your reaction time, level of cognition, and judgment — three crucial aspects of safe driving. In fact, drowsiness and lack of sleep can have the same impact on the body as driving while intoxicated. Studies have shown that being awake for 18 consecutive hours impacts the body in the same way as having a blood alcohol content of 0.

Get some shut-eye. If you notice any of the above, find a safe place to pull off the road and take a to minute nap in your car. Malhotra recommends waiting an additional 5 minutes after you wake up before hitting the road again, to give yourself a chance to become fully alert.

And keep that nap short—sleeping longer than 10 to 20 minutes can make you feel groggy and disoriented for up to a half-hour after you wake up, according to UpToDate , an online decision-making tool for healthcare professionals.

Get some caffeine. To make sure you get enough caffeine to really perk you up—Phillips recommends about mg—your best bet is coffee. An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine, and 12 ounces has mg. A can of Diet Coke has only 46 mg of caffeine, and an 8-ounce cup of brewed black tea has 47 mg. If you turn to coffee as a wake-up tool, once you drink it wait at least 15 minutes to give the caffeine time to kick in before getting back behind the wheel, Phillips says.

Skip these two common tricks. Studies show that neither driving with the windows open to keep cold air blowing on your face nor turning the radio up loudly will keep you alert.

As a science journalist, my goal is to empower consumers to make informed decisions about health products, practices, and treatments. I aim to investigate what works, what doesn't, and what may be causing actual harm when it comes to people's health. As a civilian, my passions include science fiction, running, Queens, and my cat. Was this article helpful? Yes No. Anis Rehman Endocrinologist MD. Drowsy Driving. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Poudel, G. Losing the struggle to stay awake: divergent thalamic and cortical activity during microsleeps.

Human brain mapping, 35 1 , — Dawson, D. Fatigue, alcohol and performance impairment. Nature, , Scott, L. The relationship between nurse work schedules, sleep duration, and drowsy driving. Sleep, 30 12 , — Learn more about. Other Articles of Interest Sleep Apnea. There's no better time to start the journey to improving your sleep. Get helpful tips, expert information, videos, and more delivered to your inbox. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.

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