Don't sleep on the road! Sleepiness while driving is as dangerous as ... alcohol!

They are coming long autumn and winter evenings... And despite the fact that it is still summer, it is worth slowly realizing that it gets darker every day, which means that visibility is getting worse. After you have properly prepared your car, also take care of your own condition... The autumn solstice contributes to distraction and fatigue, and as statistics show: A sleepy driver is just as dangerous as a drunk driver.

Who is at risk of falling asleep while driving?

In fact, driving fatigue can happen to everyone. However, people who they work in shifts, leading an irregular lifestyle, overworked and sleep disturbed... Factors that increase the likelihood of falling asleep in a car are: drinking even small amounts of alcohol, traveling alone, driving early in the morning and at night. Scientists report that men under the age of 26 are more susceptible.

What should be worrying about?

When we feel tired, our body tells us about it. The signals are sometimes weaker, sometimes weaker, but it is useful to learn to listen to them. Well if you're driving we will feel that our eyes are burning, we have problems with visual acuity, maintaining direction of movement or coordination of movements, for example, when changing gears, and we often yawn, be sure to slow down and find a safe place to stop. Sometimes a dozen minutes of sleep in the parking lot is enough to feel better and continue the journey. Of course of course only our brain will rest for about a dozen minutes, because the body needs longerj regeneration. So, let's get out of the car after a short nap, get some air, and do some exercise like sit-ups and, if possible, a caffeinated drink. Unfortunately, such treatments will only be effective when our body still has energy reserves up its sleeve, otherwise the effects will be meager and really short-lived. You must keep this in mind when deciding whether to continue moving.

Sleepiness like vodka

Checking a drunk driver is very simple - just do a breath or blood test and you are sure that this person drank something. It is almost impossible to check a tired and sleepy driver. It is not possible to establish norms of sleepiness that, if exceeded, would prevent further driving. Only truck and bus drivers are constantly monitored by devices that provide rest every few hours. In reality, everything may be different. Many of us play down this problem. Meanwhile, alcohol and sleepiness are very similar to humans. Looking at these similarities, we can highlight several main ones:

• prolongation of reaction time,
• blurred vision
• deterioration in coordination of movements,
• distance estimation problems,
• reactions are inappropriate situations.

Unfortunately, most drivers are impressed is completely unaware of the dangers of drowsiness and overwork on the road. This is often due to the fact that they still feel good about getting into the car. Their psychophysical fitness deteriorates only while driving.

Disorders, unequal disorders

Sleepiness while driving is usually associated with, but not limited to, fatigue and lack of sleep. Well, research shows that there are medical conditions that make you fall asleep involuntarily even when the patient is rested. This condition is called sleep apnea. It manifests itself in such a way that the patient from time to time stops breathing during sleep. This break can last from a few seconds to even more than a minute! The fact that the patient does not die can only be explained by the immediate self-preserving reaction of his body. Often people suffering from this disease are not even aware of it, and side effects remain during the day... Despite the fact that the patient spent the whole night in bed, thinking that he was asleep, it is still wakes up drowsy, with headache and absent-mindedness. In such a situation, the brain thinks that the dream has "failed", and therefore - trying to catch up at every opportunity. A great time to sleep is a monotonous ride that takes place in a comfortable position and at a pleasant temperature. Of course, not all people fall asleep at the wheel due to illness. All it takes is an overwork at work, a sleepless night or a party until the morning, so that our body becomes a huge threat on the road. And if we are aware of exhaustion and lack of sleep, we should give up driving - otherwise we will show extreme stupidity and irresponsibility.

Technology to help people

Manufacturers are increasingly equipping new car models systems to prevent danger of falling asleep Behind the wheel... The simplest of these are the so-called Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), which monitors the vehicle's path and triggers an alarm when sensors indicate that the driver has unintentionally driven on a solid line or, without braking, begins to slide towards the side of the road. ... More complex systems of this type can even correct the track on their own. In addition, the so-called active cruise controlwhich, in addition to maintaining a constant speed, can also brake without driver intervention if there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle. Most advanced systems can analyze driver behavior - control driving style, frequency and intensity of steering wheel movements, compliance with signs and many other parameters. Based on them, the device can at some point call the driver to stop the trip.

Trust yourself and take care of others

While technology is very important and useful, it is important to remember that these are just devices that may fail or may not perform as expected. We cannot completely trust them, so getting into the car, let's just challenge ourselves and trust our own judgments. If we are tired, let's rest before leaving. Let's drink coffee, eat something tonic and think twice if we are really fit to drive - we are responsible not only for ourselves, but also for the people we travel with and meet along the way.

Let's also remember about check the car, because not only our sleepiness can be a threat, but also the state of our car - let's take care of decent wipers  Oraz good lighting, and let's get the car ready for the fall season.