Don’t drive drowsy

Before you pack up the car and head to Grandma’s for the holidays, listen up:

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of vehicle fatalities rises around the holidays. Heavier traffic, bad weather and increased alcohol intake at those holiday parties may each play a role but there is another factor you may not be aware of... driving drowsy.

In our crunch to make our holidays perfect, we often sacrifice sleep. But studies show that being awake for more than 20 hours is equivalent to the legal limit of blood alcohol, 0.08%. Ouch. Last month, before the onset of holiday travel, The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) launched the first annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week™ (DDPW), a national campaign to save the lives of young drivers by raising awareness of the dangers of drowsy driving. Even though Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is past, these tips are important for drivers of all ages.

The NSF suggests the following tips to help ensure a safe arrival to your holiday destination:

• Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep BEFORE driving to keep alert during the day.
  
• Travel with a partner who can do half the driving and keep you awake when your eyelids get heavy
• Avoid alcohol and sedating medications - this is a no-brainer, but always a good reminder
• Drink caffeine – two cups of coffee can increase alertness and maintain your
  driving performance for several hours.  However, don’t rely only on caffeine.
• Eat well and stop to rest every two hours to stretch your legs and break the spell of highway hypnosis.

For more information, check out www.drivingdrowsy.org