Thoughts of the nice weather, shopping and food fill my mind. But midway to San Antonio, my mind often drifts. You may have the willpower to get out bed and arrive at work on time but you may not notice the effects of that missing hour until you get behind the wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 100,000 auto accidents occur each year because motorists fall asleep. That has sleep experts concerned that the time change may increase these numbers.
Many motorists fall into micro-sleep, short naps that last three to five seconds.
Micro-sleep is comparable to the feeling of nodding off when you're bored or uninterested. Perry recommends getting your regular amount of sleep the night before long-distance driving. If you can, try taking a scenic route where you will drive through small towns. Driving for extended periods with endless hours of trees or farmland can lull most everyone to sleep. Most of us have funny stories about parents driving for what seemed like 15 hours while refusing to stop but it's important not to repeat that pattern.