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Driving safety guide · Michigan City Ford · Michigan City, IN
Drowsy Driving: Warning Signs and How to Prevent It
Sleep is not voluntary, and drivers are not very good at judging their own alertness. Here is what the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) training manual says about the dangers of drowsy driving, the warning signs, and what actually helps.
About 17 hoursawake, and drowsiness and micro-sleeps begin (FHWA manual)
300 feettraveled during a 4-second lapse at 50 mph (FHWA manual)
7 to 9 hoursof sleep a day: drivers have less than half as many crashes (CDC, cited by FHWA)
1 solutionwhen you are sleepy: stop and sleep (FHWA manual)
The short answer
If you cannot stop yawning, are drifting, hitting the rumble strips or cannot remember the last few miles, stop driving and rest. Coffee, an open window, singing to the radio and other tricks are not a fix. Get enough sleep before a trip, avoid medicines that cause drowsiness, keep the cabin cool and take breaks with some physical activity.
Why drowsy driving is so dangerous
FHWA's training manual says that when a driver is sleepy, trying to push on is far more dangerous than drivers think, and drowsy driving is a major cause of fatal crashes. It cites a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that more than 100,000 crashes a year are the direct result of drowsy driving.
The manual, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says fatigue hurts attention to detail, reaction times and the ability to think and act decisively. It also says numerous studies show drowsy drivers perform no better on driving tasks than drinking drivers, and even low levels of alcohol amplify the effects of too little sleep.
Drivers are also poor judges of their own state: the manual says drivers' self-assessments of alertness did not correlate well with objective measures of performance.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2: Drowsy Driving (Fatigue), read November 3, 2026. Figures are from studies the manual cites.
When drowsy-driving crashes happen
The manual, citing NHTSA, says crashes involving sleepy drivers tend to share these traits:
Time of day
They happen late at night or early in the morning, or in mid-afternoon.
Single vehicle
They are likely to be serious and to involve a single vehicle leaving the roadway.
High-speed roads
They happen frequently on high-speed roads when the driver is alone.
No avoidance
The driver often does not attempt to avoid the crash.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2, read November 3, 2026. The manual separately notes that for many people the two hours after lunch are the hardest time to stay awake, and that alertness is more consistently related to time of day than to time on task.
Warning signs it is time to stop
FHWA's manual says it is time to rest if any of these happen:
Eyes
You have difficulty focusing, or your eyes close.
Head and yawning
You have trouble keeping your head up, or you cannot stop yawning.
Memory
You do not remember driving the last few miles, or have trouble remembering exit numbers, addresses or street names.
Wandering thoughts
You have wandering, disconnected thoughts.
Lane position
You keep jerking the vehicle back into the lane, drift across lanes or repeatedly hit the rumble strips on the shoulder.
Missed cues
You are tailgating, missing traffic signs, or you miss a turn or exit.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2, read November 3, 2026.
Early fatigue signs show up in your eyes
The manual says early signs of fatigue related to vision include being bothered by oncoming headlights, having difficulty keeping your eyes open and focused, burning or watering eyes, and failing to keep a visual lead and manage the space around the vehicle.
It explains that falling asleep is a process rather than a switch, and one of the first things the body does as it moves from alertness toward sleep is stop processing visual information. For more on staying alert after dark, see our night driving tips.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2, read November 3, 2026.
How to prevent drowsy driving
FHWA's manual lists these steps:
Get enough sleep
Sleep cannot be saved up. The manual cites the National Institutes of Health: the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep in every 24-hour period.
Treat sleep disorders
Sleep disorders are significant for drivers and should be monitored and corrected.
Plan the timing
Avoid starting a trip with a sleep deficit, and drive during the hours you are normally awake. Pushing on to finish a long trip between midnight and 6 a.m. can be very dangerous.
Skip alcohol
Avoid drinking alcohol before driving.
Read medicine labels
Avoid medication that causes drowsiness, and heed labels that warn against driving or operating machinery. Over-the-counter cold medicine is a common example.
Stay active and cool
Exercise regularly, eat well and use caffeine sparingly. Keep the cabin cool with a vent or the air conditioner, and take breaks with physical activity, such as a short, brisk walk, especially mid-afternoon.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2, read November 3, 2026.
What does not work: tricks to stay awake
The manual is blunt: when a driver becomes sleepy, stop to sleep or take a nap. Do not rely on coffee or another source of caffeine, an open window, sour candy, singing to the radio, using a cell phone or other tricks, which often add to the danger. When a driver is sleepy, there is one solution: sleep.
From the FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues, Lesson 2, read November 3, 2026.
Keep your vehicle ready for the drive
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Michigan City Ford is at 3930 Franklin St. in Michigan City. Get directions.
Michigan City Ford service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. |
| Sun | closed |
From Michigan City Ford's website, November 3, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Drowsy driving FAQ
How do I know I am too tired to drive?
FHWA's training manual says it is time to rest if your eyes close or you have trouble focusing, you cannot stop yawning, you have trouble keeping your head up, you do not remember the last few miles, you keep drifting across lanes or hitting the rumble strips, you are tailgating or missing traffic signs, or you miss a turn or exit.
What are micro-sleeps?
FHWA's manual says sleep is not voluntary. After about 17 hours awake, people become drowsy and the body begins to have micro-sleeps, brief lapses that can last several seconds. At 50 mph, a vehicle moves 300 feet during a 4-second lapse.
Do coffee or an open window keep you awake?
No. FHWA's manual says that when a driver becomes sleepy, the answer is to stop and sleep or take a nap, and not to rely on coffee or other caffeine, an open window, sour candy, singing to the radio, using a cell phone or other tricks that often add to the danger.
When is drowsy driving most likely?
The manual, citing NHTSA, says crashes involving sleepy drivers tend to happen late at night or early in the morning, or in mid-afternoon. It adds that for many people the two hours after lunch are the hardest time to stay awake.
Is drowsy driving as dangerous as drunk driving?
FHWA's manual says numerous studies have shown that drowsy drivers perform no better on driving tasks than drinking drivers, and that even low levels of alcohol amplify the effects of too little sleep.
How much sleep do drivers need?
The manual cites the National Institutes of Health: the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep in every 24-hour period. It also cites the CDC finding that drivers who get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day are involved in less than half as many crashes.
What does The Works at Michigan City Ford include?
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Book a routine checkup
Book The Works, which includes a brake inspection, tire rotation and pressure check, and battery test, at Michigan City Ford.
Sources
Drowsy driving guidance and figures are from the Federal Highway Administration's Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7, and the studies it cites, read November 3, 2026. This page is a plain-language summary of safety guidance, not medical or legal advice. Service details, address and hours are from Michigan City Ford's own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.
- FHWA, Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operators Training Manual, Module 7: Driver Safety Issues (Lesson 2: Drowsy Driving (Fatigue)), Federal Highway Administration, FHWA-HOP-16-050, read November 3, 2026
- General service: The Works, Michigan City Ford, November 3, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Michigan City Ford, November 3, 2026