Chevrolet's Drowsy Driving Do’s and Don’ts

For most states, daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 10. Because many Americans feel like they’ve lost an hour of sleep during the time change, Chevrolet is helping bring awareness to the dangerous effects of being tired while driving. Maureen Short, Chevy Safety engineer and drowsy driving expert, has provided some helpful do’s and don’ts along with signs that you could be driving drowsy.

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Chevy’s Drowsy Driving Do’s and Don’ts

• Do phone a friend — If you get drowsy driving home from work or on a long journey, ask a passenger to help you stay awake, phone a friend with hands-free calling or push your Chevy OnStar button and talk live with an advisor.
  
• Do get in the game — If you start to feel your mind wander, go old-school and play “I Spy” or the billboard alphabet game. Engaging your mind can often help you stay alert so you can focus on the road ahead.
• Do use your tech — Engage all available active safety features before you start any journey. Today’s safety features such as Chevy’s lane-keep assist can help alert drivers when they are drifting. Keeping active safety features enabled helps you stay extra aware of your surroundings.
• Don’t rely on that energy drink — There is no better way to tackle tiredness than getting the recommended amount of sleep. If you’re too tired to focus, consider pulling over in a safe place for a nap or find the nearest hotel to get a good night’s rest.
• Don’t push it — We’ve all tried to get that last 30 minutes of a long journey in or had too early of a start in the morning. Just remember how important it is to stay alert on the road, because the consequences of drowsy driving can be devastating.
  

Signs you are driving drowsy:

• Continually yawning or the inability to keep eyes open.
• You can’t recall the last few miles traveled or are missing exits.
• Drifting from lane and/or engaging the rumble strips on the side of the road.
• Frequent tailgating, braking or other unsafe driving maneuvers.
• Active safety features (like lane keep assist, lane departure warning and others) have been engaged more than average.