We spend a lot of time talking about "don't drink and drive," but we rarely talk about "don't yawn and drive." Sleep deprivation mimics the effects of alcohol on the human brain. Driving after being awake for 18 hours is statistically similar to having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%.
The danger of the "micro-sleep"—a five-second lapse where the brain shuts down—is that it usually happens at high speeds on monotonous highways. Unlike a drunk driver who might brake late, a drowsy driver doesn't brake at all. We live in a culture that prizes "the grind" and late hours, but on the road, that exhaustion is a weapon. Rest isn't just a personal health choice; it’s a public safety obligation.
We blame drivers for speeding, but often, the road is the one telling them to do it. If you build a wide, straight road with no trees or buildings near the curb, a driver will naturally feel safe going 50 mph, even if the sign says 30. This is the "design speed" vs. the "posted speed."
Modern safety experts are now using "traffic calming" measures—roundabouts, speed humps, and narrowed lanes—to physically force drivers to slow down. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) notes that roundabouts, for example, reduce fatal crashes by 90% compared to traditional intersections because they eliminate high-speed "T-bone" collisions. If we want better drivers, we have to build better roads that don't let them be dangerous in the first place.
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