Dog Tired -It Only Takes A Few Minutes Behind The Wheel

Ready for that summer drive vacation?  Full tank of gas, sun glasses, No-Doze?  That's right, you just might want to have some Red Bull handy too.

A new study shows that just as a baby can be rocked to sleep in a moving vehicle, (how many of us have done that!)  car vibrations can make an adult driver drowsy in as little as just 15 minutes.

Researchers analyzed people who used a virtual simulator that replicated the experience of driving on a monotonous two-lane highway for one hour. The data revealed that even among healthy, fully rested participants, 15 minutes of exposure to the driving vibrations made them drowsy, and that risk of collisions increases after just a half hour!

Study author Professor Stephen Robinson says, "To improve road safety, we hope that future car seat designs can build in features that disrupt this lulling effect and fight vibration-induced sleepiness."

And keep this in mind, while it's happening to you, it's happening to all the other drivers out there too!  So work to keep awake and keep an eye on all those other drivers who may not be as vigilant. (Daily Mail)