Driving while tired: Why you should never do it

On Behalf of | Sep 1, 2021 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Everyone knows that you should not drink and drive, but what about driving when you’re tired in Georgia? That is a big mistake too. Here’s what you need to know about driving while you’re tired, which includes the risks and how to avoid it.

It leads to mental impairment

One of the biggest issues with driving while you’re tired is that it makes you lose focus and become mentally impaired. You should not drive when you are sleep-deprived, even for a short period of time. Tiredness can make you feel distracted or overcome by drowsiness. Both of these will impair your motor skills and reaction times on the road, making you more likely to cause a motor vehicle accident.

It affects your vision

Being tired will affect your vision too. You may not realize it, but you’ll have trouble seeing when you are getting sleepy or fatigued, especially from driving for a long time. The lack of visual clarity can make you miss important details, like stop signs, pedestrians and other vehicles, leading to deadly head-on collisions and other car accidents.

Signs that you’re driving while tired

You can tell that you’re driving while you’re tired if you experience certain symptoms. These include heavy eyelids, daydreaming, impaired judgment and physical coordination as well as slower reaction time. On top of that, you might find it difficult to keep your eyes open.

How do you avoid drowsy driving?

The best way to avoid driving while you’re tired is by getting enough sleep before any long road trip or commute. You can also schedule breaks along the way so that you don’t feel exhausted behind the wheel of your motor vehicle. If you find yourself constantly tired and you cannot function properly, you should talk to your doctor about the problem.

Driving while tired is a mistake that you should never make. You run the risk of causing serious damage to yourself and other drivers on the road if you do it.