Driving when you are drowsy is never a good idea. There is an alarming amount of crashes that is from drivers that have drifted behind the wheel and the danger of it is real. In fact, there is approximately 5,500 traffic deaths a year and is a contributing factor to nearly 17% of recorded fatal crashes. These crashes are ultimately due to drivers not taking the necessary steps to ensure they are awake and alert while driving on the roads. Today, we at Speedway Towing & Roadside Assistance would like to share the dangers of driving when you are tired.

Drowsy Driving Statistics

You are not alone if you experienced drifting behind the wheel for just a split second. As a result, hopefully you managed to escape serious consequences, but not everyone is so lucky unfortunately. There are more than 100,000 accidents attributed to driving drowsy every year, with a too high of a number that involved deaths. Some analysts suggest that driving tired is more the problem than accidents that involve drunk driving. With the alarming statistics of people who drive tired, more should consider alternatives to avoid injury and death to you and others on the road.

Fatigue Risk Assessments

Not everyone under fatigue is at the same risk of getting into an accident. The people more likely to drift off behind the wheel are those with untreated sleep disorders. For example, people that suffer from sleep apnea will commonly have accompanied side effects of daytime sleepiness. Also, people who endure rotating shifts, where they will work both day and night shifts, have unnatural sleep patterns that contribute to being more tired in the day. There are also some medications that cause drowsiness as a common side effect as well. Be sure to recognize factors in your lifestyle that might contribute to driving drowsy and take extra steps to prevent it to minimize your risks.

Fatigued Driver Prevention

Preventative measure to avoid driving while you are fatigued is vital. Drivers that head out late at night or early in the morning are commonly involved in the sleep related accidents. Senior drivers have a peak time of driving tire in the mid-afternoons. Avoid driving under these circumstances is an ideal practice. Should you begin to feel sleepy, be sure to roll down your windows and flip the radio on. If you are enduring a long road trip, pull over off the road to take cat naps and recharge yourself.

Don’t Drive Tired

You do not want to put yourself and others at risk. If you are too tired to drive, don’t, find other alternatives so you do not wind up a statistic. Pulling over, delaying your road trip, having someone awake take the will, or at the least call for a tow can help you avoid hurting yourself or others.

Towing Service, Roadside Assistance & More in Irving, Fort Worth, Arlington, Carrollton & Plano Texas

Should you find yourself in a predicament, whether you were involved in an accident or lost control and are in a ditch or other terrain that has gotten you stuck in Greater Irving, Texas and surrounding areas, call Speedway Towing and Roadside Assistance and we will take care of your needs.