Hazard 101: Driving while Sleeping

It was a hellish morning for me and my brother.

Recently, our mornings are always in a crazy drill of chaos ever since my dad's driver, Mang Romy, fail to report to work for consecutive days. I thought we were saved when I saw Mang Romy this morning only to find out he's suffering from a kidney problem, which really is a dreadful thing for any person to experience. You can see it in his face, the pain and agony of not controlling the flow of your urine. We found out that he was suffering from that ailment for 7 years already. Gosh. It's just this morning that he decided to seek medical attention. It's a bummer. Health always seems to haunt everyone whose been trying to ignore it. It always goes back to you with vengeance. But this topic is not about health, it's about security...particularly me and my brother's security.


For three days now, JD and I have been gripping the edge of our car seats thanks to my father's rather crazy driving. Well, he stops when he doesn't need to...like in a middle of a free flowing highway just because he thought he saw an imaginary hump. He steps on the brakes a little too late that every turn, every corner, every hump and intersection is always a scene of suspense for us, just like in any mystery movie when the villain gets closer to his prey..without the sound effects.

Aside from the his recent exhibition of unreliable driving skills, he always seems to forget something at home. His wallet, his glasses or.. his sanity perhaps for driving while sleeping?! Unbelievable. Only my great father could do that and make a joke out of it. Well thank god he's good at it...we're all still alive aren't we?

I literally catch him driving with his eyes closed. Forget about M. Night movies...this is far scarier. What he would do is to just dismiss it and scream a very incomprehensible phrase and make JD laugh, while I can't seem to grasp on the humor. Even though in his whole life he has proven to be a very resourceful and experienced driver, it all goes to memory when he starts to form a habit of driving while sleepy. It's like a voluntary enlisting to road accidents. It's not a funny thing when you realize that every 2.5 seconds of sleep while driving makes every moment subject to sheer luck.

It is a scary experience for the passengers as they fear for the driver itself and their safety. Driving while drowsy is a very hazardous practice. Actually, the ramifications of sleepy driving and drunk driving are pretty much the same. Some say they drive better when they're drunk and far worse while they're sleepy, well, observing my father for consecutive days already, sleeping with your eyes closed now and then, 2-3 seconds while stepping on the gas while crossing intersections, just beats every hazardous driving method there is.

According to safety.com

"Many popular methods to stay awake, such as drinking a caffeinated beverage, opening windows, turning on air conditioning, or blasting the radio. Studies have shown these to be ineffective, however. The only proven preventative measure is to pull off the road and take a nap lasting at least 20 minutes. This small break is enough to restore a driver's abilities. It’s best to nap, awaken more refreshed, and then continue on to a safe place to sleep longer."

Whether you are behind the wheel or a passenger, recognize the signs of drowsy driving:

* Heavy eyelids, frequent blinking, difficulty focusing vision
* Impaired concentration
* Missing exits or traffic signals
* Repeated yawning
* Drifting into other lanes or off the road
* Irritability or jumpiness

He dropped me off at the office and told me how much he was still still sleepy. He smiled sheepishly and knew he was playing with nature again. It was a cue to tell him how I felt by snapping. I snapped that he shouldn't drive when he's sleepy. It's damn dangerous. "Delikado ang ginagawa mo, Pa." with of course a hint of concern, without the mushiness.

I call all the saints, especially the saint who guides travelers to take care of my sometimes hardheaded and risk-loving father. He just wants to spend more time with his kids even though he's depriving himself of proper sleep. I pray to the saint to take care of Mang Romy so he could come work for us again and be healthy. And I pray for the saint of employment, for us to properly hire and find the right driver for my father ASAP.