Labor Day consistently ranks in the top 10 most dangerous days to drive and a new survey conducted by Sleepy’s suggests that driving while drowsy might only add to the holiday hazards. When vacationers hit the road this holiday weekend, nearly one-third of them will be driving drowsy, and among younger drivers, the incidence is even higher with 40% saying that driving tired is their normal state. Less than 50% pull over when their eyelids droop, and the same percentage also fails to share the driving when sleepiness seeps in.
How can you avoid the dangers of drowsy driving? Nancy Rothstein, The Sleep Ambassador™ and consultant to Sleepy’s has developed a 5-Point Road Tips for your Road Trip Plan:
· Don’t skimp on sleep in the days before your trip – you may be excited or anxious, but don’t lose sleep over it!
· Plan your driving time for when you personally are the most alert – not when you would normally be sleeping – honor your body clock!
· Share the driving whenever possible and make sure your driving partner is wide awake.
· Obey the yawn. The minute you start, you need to pull over and rest and refresh. Even a short power nap helps with alertness.
· Don’t use a phone conversation to keep you awake. Remain distraction-free.
