Energy drinks market themselves to make it appear as if you get extraordinary abilities after drinking them. If you can run faster, jump higher or react quicker, wouldn't it do wonders for driving?

No. The effects of energy drinks while driving, while present, will not make you any better of a driver than you already are. Here's why:

Caffeine! - The main ingredient in all energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is the most common addiction that's legally out there --- it comes with your colas and coffee cups --- but energy drink companies have found ways to up the caffeine content in their products. An 8.2 oz of Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine, and the point where you begin getting nauseous is 200mg. 750mg is toxic. Getting nauseous and thumping headaches will not do you good while driving.

It Works! - But only for a short while. If you've been downing energy drinks before that long drive, you'll notice that you're on wide alert mode during the first few hours, then you start feeling drowsy. Having an energy drink during or after drinking alcohol might make you feel that the alcohol didn't take effect, but don't be fooled. Energy drinks only mask how you are feeling, you can still be intoxicated, you'll still feel the fatigue, but you'll still experience the effects of both.

Twitch, twitch – Drinking an energy drink to replace a good night's sleep for driving is a terrible, terrible idea. Too much energy drinks may cause your muscles to twitch, it may make you more irritable and may cause a vehicle crash down the road.

It is best to ditch the energy drink-as-sleep-replacement for driving idea. It may give a temporary boost, but energy drinks while driving may provide more harmful results. If you're going to be out on a long drive, have a good night's rest instead. Not only will it make you feel relaxed the next day, but it will also make you a better driver.

Labels: caffeine, driver safety, energy drinks, safe driving

The future will kept building cars that go hundreds and hundreds of miles per hour, but the present still needs to remember driver courtesy on the road, if it could.

It's always easier to say "it wasn't my fault" or "it's the other car's fault." Driver courtesy on the road not only means being considerate of other drivers, but taking responsibility for your driving.

Here are the 5 best tips for driver courtesy on the road:

Slow down! - Subtract 5 miles per hour whenever you are driving. It is a driver courtesy to give way to other people on the road, but not slow enough to slow down everyone else on the same road. Plus, it will save you fuel.

Keep a safe distance – Driver courtesy means giving enough space in-between your car and the cars in front or behind you. It also gives you more room to maneuver should either of you change lanes.

Give leeway when braking – While on the road, it is driver courtesy to give enough time for yourself and the cars behind you time when braking. Abrupt stops can cause accidents on the road.

Give way – If another driver cuts you off --- give way. Be the better driver. Just because they don't know driver courtesy doesn't mean you should forget yours.

Relax – Before turning in the key to the ignition, consider this the best driver courtesy of all --- asking yourself if you are in the right state of mind to drive. Are you angry? Walk it off, don't take it on the road. Are you feeling sleepy, or groggy? Call a cab instead or find an alternate ride.

Be the better driver. Be patient. Be giving. Follow the rules. Follow driver courtesy on the road --- it might be the only way to show others to do so too.

Labels: defensive driving techniques, driver courtesy, drowsy driving, safe driving

Are you spacing in and out of reality behind the wheel? Is your head getting more and more difficult to lift up while driving? Are your eyelids starting to shut themselves on their own? Are you drowsy while driving?

Drowsy driving can be worse than drunk driving. Being drowsy while driving will be your responsibility, when you're on the road. Here's a couple of tips to avoid drowsy driving altogether.

Stop. - If you feel any of the symptoms described above --- you are drowsy --- stop. Pull over to the side of the road and stop driving. Take a little breather --- find a way to get rid of your drowsiness. Find a place to sleep if you really can't pull off driving in your current state.

Include Rest Breaks In Your Planned Drives – If you're taking going to be driving quite a bit, make sure you not only plan where you'll be going, but plan rest breaks along the way. Avoid being drowsy on the road! Take 2-4 hour breaks in-between the places where you have to be.

Take Turns – If you're out with your buddies and your driving gets drowsy, make sure one of them can take over driving. Not only will this guarantee that you won't be driving drowsy, it will keep you and your buddies well rested to enjoy the destination as well.

Make Sure You Know Where You're Going – If you're gonna be driving to a new place, make sure you plot out paths that you're going to take. The frustration of not knowing exactly where to go will add to your overall fatigue --- and may not only make you a drowsy driver, but an irritable one as well.

Sleep! - Sleep! Glorious sleep! One way to avoid drowsy driving is taking a nice long sleep before hitting the road. So when your mom starts waking you up in the morning, you could proudly claim that your being well-rested saves lives!

Tips for safe summer driving and how to avoid drowsy driving can be found at the National Safety Commission.

Labels: driver safety, drowsy driving, safe driving