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When you get behind the wheel of a car, you are in control of a very heavy and dangerous piece of machinery if operated incorrectly. In one single moment, your life and the lives of mothers on the road can be drastically impacted. On long road trips especially, one can easily be prone to falling asleep at the wheel after hours of driving at a time. You doze off for just a couple seconds, but that is all it takes to drastically alter the course of your life as well as everyone else on the road. To keep yourself and others safe, here are some tips and tricks that you can do to ensure your next roadtrip goes off without a hitch!

First things first, make sure you have a driving buddy! It is much easier to stay awake when you have someone there to keep you company. Having somewhere there to talk to instantly boosts your ability to stay awake. Depending on how many people you are with, you can cycle out the driver, designated awake passenger, and someone resting up for the next leg of the trip. If you are the passenger designated to stay awake, don’t just sit there and scroll through your phone. Try to have a conversation with the driver that engages them and asks them questions!

If you aren’t lucky enough to have other people in the car with you, here are some other things that you can do. A pretty popular go to is listening to music. Whatever keeps you awake whether that be hard rock, tear jerkers, rap, etc. Pour your heart out and jam out with your own mini concert! If you are a bookworm, audio books are another great option. Just don’t get too lost in the fantasy world! 

Sit up straight as well, and remember to take plenty of breaks to stretch and do a couple of jumping jacks to get your blood pumping. Some people even like to snack while they drive which helps them stay awake. These are just some of the ways I’ve kept myself awake during these long trips. Different things work with different people but the most important thing that relates to everyone is the danger if you push yourself too hard. If you feel yourself beginning to doze off for even a couple of seconds, pull over for your own good as well as those around you. As much as these tips and tricks help, they aren’t full proof. Your body will eventually give out and when it does, you have to listen to it. It’s better to get to your destination a little later than not at all.