DME automotive recently surveyed American drivers on the top ways they try to combat sleepiness on the road, and it turns out that drivers are getting it all wrong.
Recent articles document the results of the survey which predictably found drinking caffeinated beverages at the top of the list for staying awake. This tactic, along with opening windows, pulling over and exercising/stretching, and blasting loud music and air conditioning realistically have very short-term to no effect.
Instead, safety experts recommend pulling over and taking a nap. “Pulling over and napping (only 23 percent reporting) ranked a lowly 7(th), on a par with eating or singing (21 percent),” writes Canadian Automotive Review. “The findings indicate most drivers are doing things to fight sleepiness at the wheel that don’t work, and it’s likely contributing to the scary statistics: drowsy driving is responsible for somewhere between 15-33 percent of all fatal crashes,(1) or more than 100,000 accidents each year.”
“This survey reveals a big problem: when people get sleepy on the road, too many take measures that simply don’t work. Most of us do ineffective things like stopping for that third triple-shot cappuccino or slapping water on our face just to keep going. As drivers, we need to heed our drowsiness: and stop and sleep, or let a rested person drive,” said Mary Sheridan, director of Research and Analytics for DME automotive.
Source: Purchasing B2B
