How to prevent falling asleep while driving?

According to CNN, researchers from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety continuously monitored 3,500 drivers from six regions across the United States between October 2010 and December 2013 through dash cams and other devices. They found that out of 701 accidents that occurred, about 8.8% to 9.5% were due to the driver falling asleep.

Drowsiness while driving was also a factor in 10.6% to 10.8% of accidents that involved serious property damage, airbag deployment, or injuries. The organization also said that the number of accidents caused by drowsiness was three times higher than when driving at night.

Therefore, preventing drowsiness while driving is important for all drivers, especially those who often drive at night, to avoid tragic accidents.

1. Get enough sleep

Normally, each person needs 7-9 hours of sleep per day to be alert enough to work. However, for many people who have difficulty sleeping, it will be very difficult to do this. So try to sleep according to the number of hours per day that you can sleep, and preferably more than 6 hours.

Long-distance bus, truck, or container drivers often have to drive 11 hours or more every day. Therefore, sleep is especially important for them to avoid causing accidents for themselves and many others.

2. Eat well

When you are hungry, your body will feel tired and you will want to sleep to save energy. For drivers, this is really dangerous. Everyone knows that eating well will help avoid fatigue and drowsiness, but many drivers do not have enough time or do not pay attention to fueling up before starting.

Many people are even aware of the problem but still ignore it because they think it does not affect driving. If you feel like you are not eating enough, you should bring some snacks and drinks with you to eat when you feel hungry.

3. Chew gum

This is a great way to help drivers focus on driving. Chewing gum can help increase concentration, reduce stress, and help pump more blood to the brain. A team of researchers at Cardiff University conducted a field test in 2013, and said that "chewing gum can help maintain concentration for longer on tasks that require continuous monitoring."

4. Ride with another driver

For long-haul and overnight driving, it is necessary to have another driver or co-driver to help share the load. The co-driver can cover a portion of the route or drive for a short period of time to give the main driver a break.

For those who cannot find another driver, ask a relative to go with them, to remind them to focus when they are about to fall asleep or to rest when the situation does not allow them to continue driving.

5. Drink coffee

This is not a long-term "prevention" but a "quick fix" if you are about to drive and still feel sleepy or if you are driving and feel like you are about to fall asleep. The caffeine in coffee can help cause excitement and prolong the time of being awake.

However, if you use too much coffee continuously, it can cause some harmful effects such as stress, lack of concentration, anger, which is not good for driving. Therefore, use coffee only in the last case.

6. Stop and rest if necessary

If none of the above methods help you avoid falling asleep while driving, it is best to stop at a safe place to rest for a while before continuing your journey. Do not continue your journey because it will endanger your life and the lives of those around you.