An alarming 51 percent of adult drivers admit to driving drowsy, according to the National Sleep Foundation's 2002 Sleep in America poll. Fatigue and driving is a dangerous combination. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that at least 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue, resulting in an estimated 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries each year.

At times, almost everyone is at risk for drowsy driving or a fall-asleep motor vehicle crash. Under certain circumstances, those risks can increase greatly. Before driving, check to see if you are:

1. Sleep deprived or fatigued (six hours of sleep or less increases risk)
2. Suffering from sleep loss (insomnia) or poor sleep quality
3. Driving long distances without breaks
4. Driving through the night, mid-afternoon or during times when normally asleep
5. Taking sedating medications (antidepressants, antihistamines)
6. Drinking even small amounts of alcohol
7. Driving alone or on a long, rural, dark or boring road

There are also certain populations at increased risk for fall-asleep crashes, which include:

1. Young people, especially males under age 26
2. Shift workers and people with long work hours (working the night shift increases risk), especially rotating-shift workers and people working more than 60 hours a week
3. Commercial drivers, especially long-haul drivers
4. People with undiagnosed or untreated disorders ‑- those with untreated sleep apnea have an increased risk of falling asleep at the wheel

If you start to feel tired while driving, stop immediately. Find a safe, well-lit area and take a 15-to-20-minute nap and/or consume caffeine. Caffeine can promote short-term alertness, but it takes about 30 minutes for it to enter the bloodstream. Reassess your alertness before getting back behind the wheel. And remember, blasting a radio, opening a window or using similar "tricks" to keep you awake simply does not work.