What does “dozing off” mean?
Dozing off is a state between sleeping and waking up. This duration of sleep, also called “microsleep”, can last approximately 1-2 seconds. Despite normal appearances of the driver during this state of “microsleeping”, the driver’s brain is actually not functioning for a brief time, which leads to problems on the road or road accidents.
' 7% of road deaths comes from dozing off in 2016 '
Travel preparation
Firstly, rest. The ideal amount should be 7-8 hours. Without sufficient sleep, drivers are at risk from microsleeping, causing accidents. For long trips, having company could help as this helps keep the atmosphere lively. Two people can take turns driving whenever one person feels sleepy. One should never drive too long on the road
' In just 3 seconds, dozing off while driving can cause the car to lose control. At the speed of 90 km/h the braking distance increases to 84 km! '
What not to do before driving
Taking medication such as sedative pills, cough medicine, antihistamines which reduce mucus, allergy medicines should be avoided as they may cause drowsiness and cause the driver to be sleepy. The driver should not be drunk while driving. Alcohol slows the body’s reflexes and could suddenly cause the driver to be sleepy.
' The time when most drivers doze off is between 12:00-8:00 am and 13:00- 15:00 pm which have the most frequent accidents '
What to while driving
Eating sour food, listening to lively music or talking to friends could help keep the driver awake. Nowadays, new technology can help warn drivers whenever they are falling asleep. Wearable sensors, such as the Feelrhythm Sensor, can detect our sleepiness levels and alarm users at the same time. Wearing such sleep detectors while driving is a good choice to awaken sleepy drivers.
Nevertheless, drivers should use their own judgement of their ability to drive before entering the car. Forcing oneself to drive while sleepy can cause an accident in a mere second. Not only is the car damaged, you are also risking your life.
Simply resting for 30 minutes to an hour, as well as choosing to stay in the night,
could decrease the chance of an accident and save your life.
