Most students know that drinking and driving can hurt others, but few are aware of other common hazards of driving.
More than half of surveyed drivers say they have driven cars while drowsy, and some have fallen asleep at the wheel. Studies estimate that up to one-third of all motor vehicle deaths involve a fatigued, sleepy driver. College students were questioned about their use of coping strategies for driver fatigue. Results of this study were not encouraging.
Of common strategies, some actually may increase an individual’s risk of experiencing a dozing-related crash. Taking a walk, chewing ice, singing and loud radio playing did not significantly help wakefulness in groups studied. Other strategies, such as consuming caffeine and talking with a passenger, may be protective, but only short-term until one can pull over to rest.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends using common sense and not driving while tired, and avoiding driving from midnight to 6 a.m. If you can’t remember the last few miles driven, have disconnected thoughts, experience difficulty keeping your eyes open, can’t keep your head up, drift from lanes, yawn repeatedly, tailgate, miss traffic signs or find yourself jerking your vehicle back into lane, you are unsafe to drive.
Driving tests given to people after 17 to 20 hours of wakefulness showed impaired driving reactions the same as that of a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent, the legal level of intoxication in some states.
Speeding has also been cited as a contributing factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. For every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph, the risk of death in a traffic crash is doubled. The time saved on a 10-mile trip is miniscule compared to risk involved. For example, traveling 10 miles at 80 mph, a driver will save only four minutes to destination, while increasing risk of death by 12 times.
Personal aggressiveness behind the wheel includes such behaviors as: speeding, frequent lane changes and passing, braking suddenly when tailgated, cursing, tailgating slower drivers, using the car as a weapon to “punish” other drivers, blocking vehicles trying to pass illegally, speeding up to make a light before it changes and other unsafe behaviors. Stress is a major factor for society today and some drivers take out their feelings on the road. Take a deep breath and think about something else to control impatient feelings.
Cell phone use or texting is another distraction. Motorists who use cell phones or other devices while driving are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough for injuries. The Will Smith movie “Seven Pounds” deals with his character’s anguish after killing seven people in a car wreck due to texting while driving.
The main cause of death in the college-age group is accidents. Stop by the Wellness Center for a Designated Drivers card to use at 22 local businesses to get free soda if you are the designated driver! Using self-control, especially while driving, is a sign of emotional intelligence, contributing to success in life.
Elam is the interim assistant director
of the Wellness Center.
