When you’ve been behind the wheel for too long, it’s easy to lose focus. The most important thing to remember is that, when you feel tired, you have to pull over. There are plenty of occasions, however, when you may have been driving only a couple of hours and when you had a full-night’s sleep and need to get to your destination. Here are some tips to help keep you alert.
Turn off the Creature Comforts
If it’s winter, turn down the heat a bit. A very warm car tends to make you drowsy, just as does a warm house. In the summer, consider rolling down your window and turning off the AC. Studies have shown that there isn’t that much difference in gas mileage between the two options and having the wind blow in your face a bit can make you feel more engaged in your driving.
Keep the Radio On
Having a song to sing along with or even putting the radio on to music or talk radio that you don’t like can help keep you alert. It’s easy to drift off when you’re listening to something you like but it’s very difficult when something is annoying you. If you’re so tired that you have to blast music to stay awake, however, you need to just pull over for a while and consider taking a nap.
Coffee Makes You Jittery
Coffee can provide a bit of a lift, but it also makes you jittery and, if you’re too tired, it’s not really going to keep you awake. When it comes down to it, people tend to exaggerate the effectiveness of caffeine as a stimulant. The same holds true for nicotine and other stimulants. Again, if you’re trying to find a way to stay awake, you need to give in and pull over for a while to rest.
If You’re Hit
Negligent drivers that should have pulled over cause a lot of wrecks. If one of them plows into you, call a motor vehicle accident lawyer to discuss the options for a lawsuit. You have every right to expect that the other drivers on the road will take reasonable precautions to keep the drivers around them safe and contacting a car accident lawyer is oftentimes the best option when they fail in this regard. Remember that some lawyers specialize in this area of the law and they’re the professionals you want for these cases.
