HealthyLife Articles

Tag: driving

  • Drowsy Driving: Know The Signs

    WELL-BEING

    Women yawning while driving.

    Drowsy driving is the combination of driving a vehicle and being overly tired. It might happen if you didn’t sleep well the night before. It can also happen if you take medicines that make you tired. Sometimes people who work long shifts or the night shift are drowsy when they drive home from work.

    What’s the big deal?

    Experts believe drowsy driving causes tens of thousands of car crashes each year.

    Driving when you’re drowsy is a lot like driving drunk. Drowsy driving can:

    *  Make you less aware and less attentive

    *  Slow down your reaction time

    *  Make it hard for you to make decisions while you’re  on the road

    How do I know if I’m drowsy?

    Signs of being too tired to drive include:

    *  Yawning or blinking a lot

    *  Not being able to remember some of your trip

    *  Missing your turn or exit

    *  Drifting out of your lane or off the road

    *  Hitting rumble strips

    What to do

    If you think you’re driving while drowsy, pull over in a safe place. If you can, get some coffee or a caffeinated drink. Then lock the doors and take a 15- to 20-minute nap in your vehicle. The caffeine and nap combination may help you be more alert.

    Opening the windows and loud music don’t help you stay awake. When your body needs sleep, it will do almost anything to get it.

    Prevent drowsy driving

    The best way to prevent crashes from drowsy driving is to:

    1. Get enough sleep. If you can’t get the sleep you need, have someone else drive you to your destination.

    2. See your doctor if you think you might have a sleep disorder.

    3. Never drink alcohol before driving.

    4. Never take medicines that make you drowsy before driving.

    Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Sleep Foundation

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Driving Yourself To Drink

    Substance Use & Abuse

    Take this test to see if you are out of control.

    You may think you are a social drinker, when others see you as a problem drinker. If you have any doubts, or just want to prove your friends and family wrong, take this test developed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

    Answer Yes or No:

    1.  Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or more, but lasted only a few days?

    2.  Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking and stop telling you what to do?

    3.  Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk?

    4.  Have you had a drink in the morning during the past year?

    5.  Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?

    6.  Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?

    7.  Has your drinking caused troubles at home?

    8.  Do you ever try to get extra drinks at a party because you are not served enough?

    9.  Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want, even though you keep getting drunk when you didn’t mean to?

    10. Have you missed days of work because of drinking?

    11. Do you have blackouts?

    12. Have you ever felt your life would be better if you did not drink?

    Score Yourself: If you answered yes to four or more questions, chances are you have a drinking problem and need to seek professional help.

    Action Step

    If your drinking is tied to emotional issues that you are trying to drown, seek counseling. Coming to terms with your triggers and learning to manage those triggers will help put you back in control of your life.

    Page from Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • How To Steer Clear Of Drunken Drivers

    Personal Safety

    Image of keys and a glass of alcohol in the background.

    Driving under the influence of alcohol is a common cause of auto accidents. If you can spot a drunken driver and stay out of his or her way, you may be able to avoid an accident. Watch out for drivers who:

    *  Drive too fast or too slow.

    *  Make jerky starts or stop abruptly.

    *  Overshoot stop signs.

    *  Ignore traffic signals.

    *  Follow cars too closely.

    *  Pass other cars too quickly or too slowly.

    *  Change lanes frequently.

    *  Drive without their lights on after sundown.

    *  Drive with their windows rolled down in cold or wet weather.

    *  Are obviously partying and having a good time with their passengers when they should be paying attention to the road.

    A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • The Dangers Of Distracted Driving

    WELL-BEING

    Image of women driving while looking at her phone about to hit a pedestrian.

    Though driving a car may seem like a simple task, it requires quick reflexes, concentration and reasoning. When a driver is distracted, some – or all – of these important skills can be lost.

    Distracted driving means the driver is doing something other than focusing on the road ahead. It can be anything that takes the driver’s mind off of driving, hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. In the age of smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices, it’s easy to get distracted when driving – even for just a second.

    Though it seems harmless, a quick glance at a phone to read a text can be dangerous or even deadly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. That’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed if you’re going 55 miles per hour. In that amount of time, a driver can hit a pedestrian, run a red light or stop sign, or crash into another vehicle.

    The NHTSA says nearly 3,500 people died and almost 400,000 were injured in 2015 due to distracted driving crashes. Here’s what we can do to help stop distracted driving:

    *  Never use a phone while driving. Put it in the back seat or out of reach to reduce the urge to look at it “just for a second.”

    *  Talk with your teens about distracted driving and tell them that the texts can wait. Lead by example.

    *  Sign a pledge to not drive distracted and stick to it. Ask family members and friends to sign it too. The “It Can Wait” pledge is available atitcanwait.usaa.com.

    Did you know?

    There are laws that prohibit distracted driving. Talking on a hand-held cellphone while driving is banned in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Text messaging is banned for all drivers in 47 states and the District of Columbia.

    To learn about your state laws, go towww.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/cellphonelaws.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Drugs That May Affect Your Driving

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of women at store reading the medicine label.

    Certain over-the-counter medicines, known as OTC or nonprescription drugs, may affect your ability to drive.

    Read the Drug Facts label and use the medicine exactly as directed, advises the FDA.

    Look for such statements as “you may get drowsy,” “marked drowsiness will occur,” “be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery,” or “do not drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery when using this product.”

    Some of these seemingly harmless drugs for allergies or an upset stomach are not harmless at all, even though you can buy them without a prescription.

    Certain medications may make you drowsy fairly quickly. Their effects can last several hours. Others may cause “hangover-like” effects, even the next day.

    Common OTC medicines that can cause drowsiness or impaired driving are antihistamines (often used for a runny nose or watery eyes), antidiarrheals (used to treat or control diarrhea), and anti-emetics (taken for nausea, vomiting, or dizziness).

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine