Prepare your journey properly, and plan where you can take a safe break from driving.
Stop in a safe place when you feel tired.
Drink a cup or two of strong coffee or a caffeinated drink and take a nap for a maximum of 20 minutes (set the alarm on your mobile phone). Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to take effect, so if you nap for more than 20 minutes, you might wake feeling groggy.
After the nap, if it is safe to do so, get some fresh air and stretch your legs.
Note: these measures should only be considered in an emergency and should not be used on a regular basis. If you are a professional driver, you should consider what long-term steps you need to take which will help you to get the sleep that you need.
Do not be tempted to keep driving when you are tired because you are only minutes from your destination. Many tiredness-related collisions occur within a few minutes of the driver’s destination as the body begins to relax.
For further advice and information on Driver Tiredness, see RSA leaflet ‘Driver Tiredness’ which is available to download on www.rsa.ie.