Driving is the essential part of any travel. The person driving a car or a truck needs to be very cautious and careful during the course of travel to avoid any accidents. Drowsy driving is identified to be one of the major reasons for the road accidents. Preventing drowsy driving is important to maintain the safety standards on the highways.
Drowsy driving is largely found in among the truck drivers or the young drivers who do not have much experience in driving. The truck drivers are prone to drowsiness due to the inadequate sleep time the drivers get. Sometimes, the drivers cross the speed limit and this combined with drowsy driving causes fatal incidents. There are various instances that have proven this strategy. The statistics of accidents that occurred in the past are frightening and the results conclude that the drowsy driving remains a major contributing factor for accidents across various states.
Drowsy driving can unavoidable in certain situations. But it is important to identify the drowsy driving before any undesirable incidents occur. The driving persons exhibit some warning signs to show that they are drowsy. These signs include frequent blinking of eyes, difficult to focus on driving, missing of certain turns or exits during the travel, lowered performance in driving, frequent yawning, trouble opening eyes or keeping the head in the upright position. The knowledge about these warning signs helps the drivers to know about their condition and take the appropriate steps.
The proper selection of the driving person also paves the way to avoid drowsy driving. One should be fit in both health and mind to carry out long driving. Some of the important points to note before driving include:
- Inadequate sleep or sleep loss
- Consumption of even a small amount of alcohol
- Number of breaks taken during the travel is not sufficient
- Making travel without a companion
- Following sedative medications
- Continuous working for a week without rest
- Driving during the night time when it is the sleep time for the driving person
There are many ways to prevent drowsy driving. If there are two persons who are proficient in driving, they can exchange the driving after a certain period of time so that each of them can rest while the other drives. For long trips, a handsome of breaks can be taken on the way so that the person driving gets enough rest before resuming the journey. The food substances like alcohol should be avoided during the travel as it may induce drowsiness. It is also better to avoid any medications for the driving persons before travel as some of the medicines tend to make them drowsy. The person driving can be involved in conversations with the other passengers so that the person does not feel any monotonicity while driving. The person intended to drive should have an adequate sleep before the actual travel. All these simple tips can largely help in avoiding drowsy driving. Above all, the person driving the vehicle should make up his mind to be well aware of driving carefully. They should be explained about the dangers of drowsy driving and the impact of it on others life.
Life is just once and every individual driving the vehicle should realize this truth. A mistake of a single person can adversely affect other’s life. By following the guidelines, together with a conscious mind, one can avoid such accidents and make every travel a pleasant one for all.