Wednesday, February 11, 2004

TAKE A BREAK WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES

(North Bay , On)
A crash may be caused by fatigue - drivers either falling asleep at the wheel or so exhausted they make serious – and fatal – driving errors.

Feeling drowsy is dangerous when you are behind the wheel. Your reaction time slows, awareness decreases, and your judgment becomes impaired—just like with drugs or alcohol.

There are two times of day when most people are more likely to feel sleepy. One is the afternoon lull from 2-5 p.m. The other is the early morning 2-6 a.m.

You may not notice when drowsiness is creeping up on you. Watch for these warning signals:
· Your eyesight starts to blur
· You have trouble keeping your eyes open
· You have trouble keeping your head up
· You can’t stop yawning
· You have wandering disconnected thoughts
· You don’t remember driving the last few miles
· You have missed your exit
· You keep drifting out of your lane
· Your speed fluctuates
· You feel irritable and restless

The North Bay OPP would like to remind motorists: when you are behind the wheel don’t let the monotony of driving take over. If you have even one of these symptoms—sleep may overpower you. Find a safe place to stop and take a break or have a nap.