Driving safely in Virginia means being alert at all times. You have to pay attention to vehicles that are coming from all sides and angles of yours. When you drive while being extremely tired, you lose the ability to act quickly and rationally enough to prevent an accident. There are several ways to prevent yourself from driving drowsy and risking a crash.
Set cutoff times
Schedule start times when you’ll start driving and cutoff times when you’ll stop driving. Most people start driving once the sun rises and stop driving when it gets dark at night. This schedule helps you to monitor your own behavior and know when it’s acceptable or not acceptable to drive.
Sleep at night
The chances of driving successfully at night are significantly reduced. Nighttime is the time to rest and get at least seven hours of sleep.
Do not procrastinate
Procrastination forces many people to drive in the worst conditions and increases the risks of car accidents. Waiting until the last minute increases your risk of causing an accident. Plan your trips in advance to drive only when you’re in good condition.
Include a partner
Have a partner tag along on your drive. Although not always the best solution, it’s safer than driving when you’re alone and half asleep. A partner will spot you and offer to drive if you start to doze off.
Follow your limits
Driving while drowsy is never acceptable in any situation. This mistake causes an accident that is completely preventable. The risks are too great for most people to drive while sleepy. So, avoid driving drowsy under any circumstance.