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Numerous injuries and deaths are caused each year by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. While the obvious answer to this problem is to not drive if you’re tired, people will still do it. Here are some ways to keep yourself awake and safe when driving alone.
1.) Turning up the radio is an obvious idea, but you need to do more than that. Pick a station with music that you enjoy, and sing loudly! If you’re tired, the radio will eventually just become background noise in your mind. But if you are are interacting (singing) with what you are hearing, you will stay more alert and attentive.
2.) Keep the heat away!! Warm air will make you more sleepy. If it’s summertime and very hot outside, turn your air conditioner on high, and aim the vents right on you. If it’s wintertime, roll down your window and let the cold air in. We all know that it’s tough to fall asleep when we’re cold and uncomfortable. You may get a slight cold or chapped skin, but so what. It’s better than the alternative if you were to fall asleep while driving.
3.) Stop and walk around for a few minutes. Stop somewhere where it’s bright...a store, a reststop, a gas station. You don’t need to go for a lengthy jog. Just get out and walk around a while. Enjoy the fresh air. Talk to somebody nearby about the weather. Get your brain going and your senses more alert.
4.) Eat and drink a lot. Yes, eating a big meal can make us tired. But if you are constantly moving your hands to eat food or drinking something cold, you’re being active. That’s what you need to do. Sitting in a carseat doing nothing but driving is what everyone should do, but when you are fighting to stay awake, you need to be active. Eating and drinking (not alcohol, of course) are ways to be active.
5.) This may sound silly, but drink a lot and don’t stop to go to the bathroom. Think of how uncomfortable it is to fall asleep when you have to go to the bathroom. Enough said on that.
The obvious way to avoid falling asleep at the wheel is to not drive if you’re tired. But if you do, you need to focus on keeping your brain active and your senses alert. Do whatever you need to do to keep yourself and the others on the road around you safe.
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