SYRENE KOON
As students plan road trips to escape from Provo for the holidays, they often think of home cooking, visiting friends, and seeing family; not driving there safely.
Students that drive home for the holidays should take precautions to minimize the risks of falling asleep at the wheel because it is one of the major causes of deaths in automobile accidents involving 16 to 25 year olds, according to a study in North Carolina. The study says that 55 percent of car accidents attributed to falling asleep at the wheel involve drivers between the ages of 16 and 25.
Students have a lot on their mind and usually do not get enough sleep before they drive home, said John Dame, program manager for the Utah Highway Safety office. This increases the risks of falling asleep.
The highest accident risk period is the holiday season, beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Year’s, according to a dozing and driving proposal from the BYU Department of Health Sciences and the Communications 421 class.
“The best thing students can do before driving is to make sure you are rested ahead of time. Do not stay up late, and drive when you are normally awake,” Dame said. “Taking a nap is one of the most effective ways to freshen up.”
The time of day that drivers travel also affects the risk of falling asleep at the wheel.
A census report conducted by M.M Mittler, in a release by American Automobile Association, showed that the number of fatigue-related collisions increase between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Drowsiness has the same effects as drugs and alcohol and can be just as dangerous.
Sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs judgment, just like drugs and alcohol, according to AAA. Driving drowsy can be just as fatal as driving drunk.
There are several danger signs that drivers should recognize in order to prevent falling asleep at the wheel. Symptoms listed by the National Sleep Foundation include: eyes closing or going out of focus by themselves, having trouble keeping your head up, uncontrollable yawning, wandering thoughts, not remembering the last few miles, drifting between lanes, tailgating, missing traffic signs, jerking the car back into the lane, drifting off the road and narrowly missing a crash.
These symptoms indicate that the driver is in danger of falling asleep. In this situation, the driver should pull off the road and take a nap.
Other precautions the driver can take to ensure that they do not fall asleep at the wheel are: get enough sleep the night before the trip, talk to passengers or to yourself, take frequent breaks at rest stops, avoid driving at midnight or later when the body is set for sleeping, change drivers frequently, do not stare blankly at the road, drink something cold, keep the inside of the car cold, roll down your window and listen to loud, upbeat music.
Also, make sure that the car is equipped to handle the road conditions by having chains, good tires and good windshield wipers. The car should be tuned up before hitting the highway.
“Drivers need to realize their limits and listen to their body,” said Wendy Bertola, program manager for the Utah Safety Council. “If you feel tired, pull over. It is better to get to your destination alive and safe than on time.”
“You can fall asleep for five or seven seconds and not even realize it,” Bertola said. “If you fall asleep for 4 to 5 seconds at 55 miles per hour you have travelled over a hundred yards without even knowing it.”
File Photo
@cut:CAR WRECK: Last year, this wrecked car was displayed near the Spencer W. Kimball Tower to illustrate the need to be cautious on icy and snow-laden roads during the holiday drive home
