Worried about staying alert on a long drive? These road trip safety tips start with sleep: rest well beforehand, break every two hours, and pull over when you feel drowsy.
This guide sits inside the wider topic of road trip planning, so use it alongside your route and schedule.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Suggested break interval | Every two hours or 100 miles |
| Drivers with a passenger, compared with those alone | Nearly 50% less likely to be in a drowsy-driving-related crash |
| Rest time if you feel sleepy | At least 30 minutes |
| Typical sleep need for adults | Seven to eight hours per night |
| Sleepiest periods of the day | 2 PM to 6 PM and midnight to 6 AM |
| Drowsy-driving crashes, NHTSA figure for 2017 | At least 91,000 crashes |
These figures come from the Tennessee Traffic Safety drowsy driving page and the Sleep Foundation’s drowsy driving overview. Figures can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
Why sleep comes before every other safety step
The most effective safety habit is also the least exciting: arrive at the driver’s seat rested. Tennessee’s traffic safety office says sleep is the remedy for drowsy driving, and that rolling down the window, turning up the radio or the AC, or drinking caffeine cannot cure drowsiness.
Adults typically need seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night to feel well-rested and ready for the road, according to the same Tennessee page. It recommends aiming for at least seven hours every night before you get behind the wheel.
Short sleep carries a measurable penalty. The page cites the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety: drivers who sleep less than five hours per night are six times more likely to be involved in a drowsy-driving-related crash than drivers who get eight or more hours (Tennessee Traffic Safety).
Before you set off, run through this short list:
- Get a proper night of sleep before the drive, not a short one squeezed in around packing.
- Skip alcohol, pain-killers and sleep-inducing medications if you plan to drive, as the Sleep Foundation’s guide to staying awake on the road advises.
- Avoid driving when you would normally be asleep, a step the Sleep Foundation’s drowsy driving overview lists for lowering risk.
How serious is drowsy driving?
It is a well-documented hazard. According to the Sleep Foundation’s overview, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2017 drowsy driving led to at least 91,000 crashes, with roughly 50,000 injuries and 800 deaths.
The same page, in its June 2026 update, reports 644 deaths in 2024 (Sleep Foundation). It also warns that the data likely underestimates the true impact, because it is often impossible to determine whether drowsiness caused a crash.
Drivers also admit to it. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2015 Traffic Safety Culture Index found that one in three drivers (31.5%) had driven within the prior 30 days when so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open, as reported by Tennessee Traffic Safety.
Build breaks and timing into your route
A long drive goes better when rest is part of the plan instead of an emergency. The Tennessee page suggests scheduling a break for every two hours or 100 miles to stretch and move around (Tennessee Traffic Safety).
Timing matters too. The same source says people are most likely to feel sleepy from 2 PM to 6 PM and from midnight to 6 AM, so those are the hours to treat with extra care.
When you draw up the day, it helps to:
- Mark likely stops on the map before you leave, so a break never depends on luck.
- Keep the longest stretches for the hours when you feel most alert.
- Leave slack in the schedule so a rest stop does not feel like lost time.
- Avoid planning heavy driving across the midnight to 6 AM window.
Scenic drives are tempting, but a pretty road still needs places to stop, so read up on how to find scenic routes with break points in mind.
What are the warning signs that you should stop?
Drowsiness does not always arrive as a sudden blackout. The Sleep Foundation lists warning signs that include frequent yawning, nodding off, drifting between lanes, missing signs or exits, and difficulty remembering the last few miles driven (Sleep Foundation).
The Tennessee page adds more to watch for:
- Trouble focusing or keeping your eyes open.
- Being unable to keep your head up.
- Tailgating, or swerving off the road.
- Rubbing your eyes repeatedly.
- Feeling irritable or restless.
- Forgetting landmarks you passed.
If you notice any of these, treat it as a signal to stop, not as something to push through (Tennessee Traffic Safety).
What to do when drowsiness hits
The Sleep Foundation’s advice is to pull over somewhere safe as soon as possible rather than trying to push through the fatigue (Sleep Foundation). Follow these steps:
- Pull into the next rest stop or another safe, well-lit space where you can park without obstructing the road.
- Take a short nap. A 20-minute nap should leave you adequately refreshed and alert, but take more time if needed, according to the Sleep Foundation.
- Rest for longer if you can: the Tennessee page advises at least 30 minutes.
- Use caffeine only as a short boost. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks give a temporary lift, not a substitute for sleep.
- Think about whether to continue at all if you are still struggling.
Sources for these steps are the Sleep Foundation and Tennessee Traffic Safety.
Why a passenger or co-driver helps
Company on the road is a real safety feature. According to the Tennessee page, vehicles in which the driver is accompanied by a passenger are nearly 50% less likely to be involved in a drowsy-driving-related crash.
Ask your passenger to watch for signs of fatigue, or take turns driving, as the same page recommends. Agree on this before you leave so nobody feels awkward about speaking up.
Families have extra moving parts, since children’s sleep and snack stops shape the day, so it is worth reading about how to plan a road trip with kids before you fix your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I stop on a long drive?
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Tennessee’s highway safety office ties the rhythm to either two hours or 100 miles of driving, with time to get out and move (source). Stop sooner than that if drowsiness shows up early.
Does coffee fix drowsy driving?
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Not on its own. Caffeine gives only a temporary lift (source), and Tennessee’s page lists it with an open window, a loud radio and cold air as tricks that cannot cure drowsiness (source). Plan to pull over and rest.
How long should I nap if I feel sleepy?
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A nap of about 20 minutes is the length the Sleep Foundation gives for feeling adequately refreshed, with more time if you need it (source). Tennessee’s guidance sets a longer minimum of 30 minutes of rest (source), so take the longer one when you have the time.
Is it safer to drive with a passenger?
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Yes, it helps. Drivers with a passenger are nearly 50% less likely to be in a drowsy-driving-related crash, per Tennessee, and a co-driver lets you swap seats before fatigue builds (source).
Which times of day are hardest for staying alert?
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Tennessee’s page points to the afternoon block from 2 PM to 6 PM and the overnight block from midnight to 6 AM as the usual sleepy periods (source). Plan lighter driving and an extra stop in those windows.
