Being on the road with the music playing as you move from place to place is freeing. You get to take yourself where you want to be, whenever you want to get there. You are in control and you get to see more of the country than you thought you could as a result. When you find a job that’s a fair distance away, you can choose to take it because you have the freedom of a car to get you there. The only real issue with all this driving is that it can make you super drowsy!

If you’ve ever been the passenger in a car (and we’re sure you have been), you know how comfortable it is. You get into a temperature-controlled vehicle designed this way for your comfort, with cozy seats and gentle air conditioning or heating on your face. You are then gently rocked as the car moves. It’s literally the perfect environment for the body to want to nap, and it’s not something that just affects passengers; drivers are also affected the same way. The problem is that this leads to drowsy driving which, quite frankly, is so dangerous you would be a fool to get behind the wheel of the car feeling that way. There have been many studies that show that up to 30% of drivers admit to drowsy driving. 

If you are someone who regularly feels tired getting behind the wheel of the car, you need to evaluate whether you are acting right or not. Drowsy driving is more than irresponsible. You could end up responsible for the deaths of others, and totally avoidable death, at that! You will need expert car accident lawyers on speed dial if you regularly travel tired. The good news is that there are tips out there that can help to stop you from feeling drowsy at the wheel of the car, and we have a few of these for you below.

1. Get enough sleep the night before. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you need a good night of sleep if you can hope to drive safely. Part of this will mean that you can avoid driving drowsy and this will help you to remain as safe as possible on the road at all times. You need to be rested which means that even if you are only heading to work, you need to get a great night of sleep the night before!
2. Stop regularly if you need to. It’s easy to get drowsier as time goes on when you are trying to get to your destination, but you don’t have to feel that way with regular pit stops. This means every two hours, you need to stop and rest. Get out of the car and stretch your legs, you need to make sure that your body is awake enough to complete the journey. 
3. If you see a rest stop, stop! Every single time you see a rest stop, stop and pull into it. Get out and stretch, breathe in some cool air and get a snack. You could even crack a soda open and take the sugar hit to help you stay awake and able to concentrate on the road. You can’t be driving any length of time without a stop if you plan to stay awake! 
4. Stick to caffeine. You know already that it takes a good 30 minutes for caffeine to be in the bloodstream and enough to keep you awake. Plan your day so that thirty minutes before you leave the office or the house, you take a cup of coffee to go and you need to keep up the caffeine so that you stay awake on the road. 
5. Get some air in your face by winding those windows right down and breathe it in. The cool air hitting your face is going to help you to stay alert and pay attention on the road. The cold air will stimulate your senses, which is exactly what you need.
6. Travel with someone. Avoiding drowsy driving is much easier if you are on a long journey with someone else. You can swap over if you’re feeling tired, have someone to talk to and you won’t have to worry if you do have to pull over in the dark. 
7. Don’t take any medications. Speak to your doctor on this one but if you have medications that you need to take, do not drive if any of them cause any drowsiness. The last thing you need is your meds to make you fall asleep.