By T.K. Malhotra (President)
Finding sleepy at the wheel, it is already past time to get off the road. It is the fatique that dulls your mind, reduces ability to think to react correctly in the risky situations demanding safe driving. We must not forget that our own condition - physical, mental and emotional fitness to drive - outweighs any other hazard we may face on the road. Even a simple headache or cold affects our ability to drive safely. We must, therefore, be as objective as possible about our fitness to drive at any time. If necessary, we should postpone our journey or have someone else drive.
Do you know that most of the road deaths are due to drivers dozing off at the wheel? Ask yourself a frank question and you would admit that your have experienced suddenly falling asleep, at least momentarily, while driving.
It is not practical to document an accident caused by falling asleep. No one responsible is gone to admit it but instead the reason is assigned to vehicles "loss of control".
Implying a sudden mechanical fault which is actually less likely than driver's error is causing accidents. Therefore, the figures tend to be under estimated and classified under different causes. If we add in the common occasions where, although the driver did not fall asleep but was sleepy with prolonged inattention, one can see the enormity of the problem.
Circumstantial evidence that an accident is caused by the driver having fallen asleep includes the lack of application of the brakes; lack of evasive action taken; pumping into the rear of another vehicles and running oneself off the road in clear visibility and good road conditions.
Falling asleep, albeit only momentarily is common enough to cause a large number of road accidents, many with fatal consequences. A one-in-five road deaths rate excludes drunken driving, where falling asleep would also be common. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is much easier to document and has a separate classification.
Falling asleep while driving is unpredictable and sudden. Accidents caused by drivers falling asleep are more likely to kill of cause severe injuries due to lack of braking or evasive action before the collision, resulting in greater force of impact. Predisposing Factors and Circumstances:- Various circumstances predispose one to falling asleep while driving. We must remember that everyone adds up to turn an alter person to a potentially very dangerous driver controlling the lives of many sharing the road.
 Alcohol is big contributory factor, although if present in larger quantity the accident is classified under drunken driving. It should be kept in mind that every contributory factor, even a moderate amount of beer, adds up to a potentially fatal set of circumstances.
Medications that cause sleepiness, drugs for motion sickness, anti-anxiet drugs, certain pain- killers, etc.
Pre-existing sleep-deprived states - sleepless rights, late shifts, late TV viewing late parties work exchaustion.
The longer the duration of the drive, the more easily one falls asleep. However, studies abroad have shown that falling asleep while driving can occur even after only a short period of driving, especially on highway and straight roads. Therefore, it is foolhardy to assume that one cannot fall asleep in early parts of the drive or driving short drives.
It is also sometimes common to have driving holidays immediately after plane travel of long duration. Add to the jet leg, lack of sleep, fatigued, unfamiliarity with the road - we have a potentially fatal combination of factors predisposing one to a terrible accident. The motorists must consciously take extra precautions or better still, avoid driving in such circumstances.
What to Do?
1. The first most important step is to realise how important common and potentially fatal this problem is. Lack of this awareness will render us irresponsible even to the extent of criminal negligence. By forgetting or brushing aside preventive steps, we are putting ourselves, our families, our friends and other road users at hideous risks.
2. Primary prevention is the best measure. If feeling sleepy, make alternate arrangements for transport instead of driving.
3. Stop at the nearest safe spot or highway rest - station if sleepiness accrues while driving. Freshen up with a face towel, do some limbering up exercises and have a cup of coffee, if available..
The temptation is to keep delaying doing what one knows is the commonsense step and hoping that one can drive on that much longer. The trouble is that falling asleep is very unpredictable and there is no way that one can predict at which point drowsinces will be taken over by sleep resulting in total loss of control and perhaps "Good By" for ever.
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