Think!

Studies have shown that you don’t fall asleep without warning. Drivers who fall asleep at the wheel often try to fight off drowsiness by opening a window or turning up the radio. This doesn't work for long.

Try these tips instead:

• plan your journey to include a 15-minute break every two hours.
• don't start a long trip if you're already tired.
• remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start a long drive
• try to avoid long trips between midnight and 6am when you're likely to feel sleepy anyway.
• if you start to feel sleepy, find a safe place to stop - not the hardshoulder. Drink two cups of coffee or a high-caffeine drink and have a rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow time for the caffeine to kick in.

Remember, the only real cure for sleepiness is proper sleep. A caffeine drink and a 20 minute nap is a short-term solution that will only allow you to keep driving for a short time.