Tips to Keep your Car Insurance Costs Down In Arizona: Stay Awake Behind the Wheel This Holiday Season

See the original article on BizBrag

Per a survey by the AAA Foundation, one out of every 6 car accidents in the United States is caused by driving fatigue.  During the holiday season, more people are taking long road trips, driving after a large meal or are too busy to get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel.  Men are at bigger risk with only 30% of women reported having fallen asleep behind the wheel while 52% of men reported having done so.   Drivers under the age of 24 also reported falling asleep behind the wheel more than any other age group.  With more accidents and more claims, your car insurance costs will go up.  To avoid an accident due to driving fatigue, keep these tips in mind:

Plan Ahead

Before a road trip, make sure you get at least 7 hours worth of sleep hours before driving.  Take water and caffeinated beverages with you.  If you can, have a passenger with you on road trips so you can share the driving.  Also, avoid driving at night and other times you would normally be sleeping.

Recognize the Symptoms

Some of the signs of driving fatigue are difficulty focusing, blinking more than normal, heavy eyelids, yawning, nodding head, drowsiness and rubbing your eyes.  You also might find yourself drifting in your lane or have trouble remembering the last few miles of your trip.  If you have any of these symptoms, stop driving or take steps to wake yourself up and make you more alert.  It’s better to stop driving, than have an accident and a car insurance claim.

During the Drive

If you find yourself getting sleepy while driving, open a window or turn on the air conditioning.  The colder air will help keep you awake.  Also, turn on the radio loudly or start a conversation with a passenger to stay awake.  If you are feeling yourself falling asleep, stop to get coffee or walk around a bit at a gas station. 

Take a Break

Make sure you factor breaks into any road trip.   A guideline for this is a break once every two hours or every 100 miles.  Studies have also shown that a 15 minute power nap can significantly increase your alertness and awareness levels.  You may want to consume caffeine prior to this nap, as caffeine takes about 20 to 30 minutes to begin to work to wake you up.   When you awake from your nap, you should feel better and be more alert if the caffeine has been absorbed into your system. 

If you think ahead and use these tips, you will be a safer driver with a better driving record.  In the long run this will not only keep you safe from accidents but will keep your car insurance premiums and out of pocket costs lower.

Read More