Stay more focused during those long drives
One of the most dangerous aspects of driving for a long period of time is that many motorists have difficulty paying attention for the entire duration of the trip. If you’ve ever driven for hours on end, you’ve likely noticed that your mind begins to wander more and more as your trip drags on, particularly if you’re driving through a boring stretch of highway.
Here are some tips for staying focused on your next long drive:
Get a good night’s sleep
The best way to ensure you stay awake behind the wheel is to get a good night’s sleep prior to leaving. While you may feel pressured to wake up at the crack of dawn to begin your journey in order to avoid traffic, you’ll thank yourself for sleeping in a bit to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep.
Avoid sugary foods
Sugary foods tend to give you a jolt immediately after you’ve eaten them followed by a crash right after. This crash can make you quite drowsy, especially if you haven’t gotten a proper sleep.
While it’s perfectly fine and acceptable to have snacks throughout your trip, avoiding sugar will help to avoid a potential food coma. In general, the healthier you eat, the less likely you are to crash during your trip.
Don’t travel alone
If you can, you should always avoid travelling alone for a long drive. Having someone beside you to converse with can help to ensure you don’t doze off.
Chew gum
Many truck drivers chew gum to avoid feeling drowsy when they’re behind the wheel.
Listen to music or audiobooks
While you may think that listening to something while you drive will end up distracting you, you’re less like to feel drowsy if you have something in the background to engage your brain. If you’re just listening to the sound of the traffic for hours on end, you’re may drift off.
Keep yourself cool
You may feel drowsy if your car is warm and toasty. Cracking open a window can help bring in some cool air and wake you up. While it’s not necessary to be uncomfortably cold, you should try to have the temperature a few ticks below your ideal conditions.
Pull over
If you’ve tried everything and still feel drowsy, the best thing you can do is pull over. Sure, it may add some extra time to your trip, but it’s better than putting yourself at risk of getting into an accident.
Just because you’ve pulled over doesn’t mean you need to sleep either. Simply walking around and stretching your legs can be enough to wake you up for the remainder of your trip.
Safe travels!