By Sarah Cahoon
Katey Burnham, a freshman at Utah Valley State College, is all set to drive home to California for Thanksgiving. Burnham and four of her friends will leave around 10 p.m. for the eight-hour drive.
'I know it sounds weird that I would leave so late, but I am a night person,' Burnham said. 'I am so much more awake at night than in the morning.'
Burnham, who has made the drive to California a couple of times, has experienced all of the symptoms of driver fatigue.
'I''ve fallen asleep at the wheel before and it scared me to death,' she said. 'I don''t drive when I''m tired now, so if I get tired I''ll pull over.'
Driver fatigue, also known as highway hypnosis, is a dangerous condition affecting numerous travelers.
According to reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver drowsiness and fatigue contribute to about 100,000 automobile accidents each year.
With the winter holidays fast approaching, BYU students are finalizing travel plans to head home. And since the events of Sept. 11, more people - including BYU students - have opted to travel by car than in the past.
According to the Utah Safety Council, air travel is 37 times safer per passenger mile than driving, because driving requires a concerted effort by the driver to remain safe while traveling.
The Utah Safety Council advises drivers to be cautious and take common sense steps to enhance safety while on the highway.
The Utah Safety Coucil offers tips for staying awake while driving: get at least seven hours of sleep the night before, drive in pairs or groups, avoid driving at night and take frequent breaks.
The Utah Safety Council said drivers can remain alert by adjusting the vehicle environment.
In a news release, Robert Parenti, president of the Utah Safety Council said drivers can stay awake by keeping car temperatures cool and by avoiding soft, sleep-inducing music. He said fatigued drivers should not use cruise control.
'Keep your body involved with the driving,' he said in a news release.
The Utah Safety Council said safe driving demands full attention.
'If you feel your eyelids getting heavy, then your next actions may not simply determine whether you''ll stay awake. They might determine whether you''ll stay alive,' the Utah Safety Council said in a news release.