The Dangers of Tired Driving

We all know the dangers and horrors of driving while intoxicated or under any influence but are you aware of how dangerous it is to drive even if you’re just tired?

If you feel your eyes starting to get heavy while you’re driving, it is crucial you pull over, phone a friend, and get away from the wheel.

I never considered it to be that dangerous and never thought it would be possible that someone could actually be tired enough to fall asleep while driving until it happened in my family.

A few years ago, my brother was driving home from a long shift at the nursing home and fell asleep driving in Pownal. He hit a tree, got life flighted to Maine Med, and was in a coma with a traumatic brain injury. I slept on the floor of the hospital waiting room in the ICU for weeks waiting for him to wake up, go through rehab, and heal.

We are all blessed to be able to share that he survived and recovered but it’s a sobering testimony of how dangerous it is to drive when you’re tired.

Westbrook, Maine, Car Accident Caused by Tired Driving

Another example of this happened over the weekend in Westbrook.

The Westbrook Maine Police Department posted on Facebook sharing that at around 4 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, someone fell asleep driving and got into an accident by the VW Service Center on Maine Street.

As the post shares, the driver fell asleep and crashed into the parking lot of the service center, crashing into the business sign and three cars parked there.

Thankfully, they were not injured and nobody was harmed!

This could have been a catastrophe, but luckily the only damage was to property, not people.

Just the image alone shows you how dangerous tired driving can be and I’m shocked but thankful the driver was okay.

Ever since my brother’s accident, I pay close attention to my drowsiness before I drive and when I feel myself start to get tired, I pull over and phone a friend or if I’m lucky enough to have someone else in the car, I let them take over the wheel.

Don’t take the risk of trying to push through, it’s not worth it.

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