8 Signs Of Drowsiness When Driving A Vehicle, Danger Can Cause Accidents Like Vanessa Angel

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JAKARTA - Drowsiness while driving a vehicle can affect anyone behind the wheel. Driving while drowsy can significantly increase the risk of an accident, as happened to Vanessa Angel. Although unpredictable, research shows that sleepy driving is very common.

Research conducted by The National Sleep Foundation's in 2005 showed that 60% of drivers reported they often drive while drowsy. Meanwhile, survey data from the CDC found that one in 25 adults fell asleep at the wheel in the past month.

The phenomenon of drowsy driving is also known as microsleep. This condition occurs when a person is asleep for only a few seconds. Unfortunately, this can cause the car to easily get off the road or collide with other vehicles. The damage from these collisions increases when the vehicle is traveling at high speed.

Many factors cause a person to feel sleepy while driving, such as lack of sleep, sleep disturbances, and being under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Launching Sleepfoundation, Friday, November 5, there are at least eight things that indicate you should stop while driving to avoid microsleep, namely;

Frequent yawning Feeling unbearable drowsiness Tired eyes, droopy eyes, or frequent blinking Bounce into another lane or hit a noise tape on the road Inability to remember the last few miles of travel Skipping road signs or exits Following other cars too close Trouble stabilizing speed while driving

To prevent this, you can do some tips such as;

Try to take a break every two hours when driving. No need to force yourself to drive continuously to quickly arrive at your destination. Personal safety is more important than hasty travel. Avoid driving a vehicle at bedtime. The reason is, the body has gotten used to a regular sleep time. Forcing yourself to stay awake at bedtime can be bad for safety while driving. Focus on getting enough sleep the night before your trip and ideally for the few nights leading up to driving. Avoid alcoholic beverages and other sedatives. This substance can interfere with sleep quality and can make you sleepy the next day.