Posted on 5/30/2025
Falling asleep at the wheel is something most people think will never happen to them, but drowsy driving causes more accidents than you might expect. While drunk driving is widely recognized as a major safety threat, driving while sleep-deprived can be just as dangerous. In fact, studies show that the effects of fatigue can mimic those of alcohol in several key ways. Knowing the risks of driving tired will help you make smarter choices about when to get behind the wheel and when it’s safer to wait. How Fatigue Affects Your Ability to Drive When you’re tired, your brain reacts more slowly. Your attention span shortens, your ability to process information drops, and your decision-making becomes impaired. These are the same effects caused by alcohol, and when combined with long hours on the road, they can become deadly. Sleep deprivation reduces your awareness of your surroundings, increases the time it takes to brake or swerve, and leads to drifting out o ... read more