Driving while drowsy can be a dangerous combination

 By Steve Locke

Steve and Kathy Locke

 In mid-September of 2012, my wife, Kathy, and I had activities in different directions. My son and I were going to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to see the Oklahoma State football game. She was headed to Hays as part of class she had been taking through Fort Hays State University. It was a graduate level class, and there was a quite a bit of work involved. Kathy had been staying up late for about a week or two prior to making the trip to Hays.

We both made it to our respective destinations safely. While she was there, Kathy also met up with a long-time friend living in the area and stayed up late for yet another night.  Midway through the game, I got one of those calls that no one wants to receive - Kathy had been in a wreck.

Here's what happened - as she was headed back to Topeka, all the late nights and the ‘exciting’ scenery of western Kansas got the better of her. She dozed off. The car drifted over the rumble strips on the right side of the road and woke her up. She was awake long enough to get the car back on the highway, but she dozed off again. This time the car drifted toward the left side of the highway (toward the median) and the rumble strips on that side of the road woke her up again. This time she wasn’t so fortunate.

She over corrected and sent the car into a spin. According to the police report, she left the roadway on the right side of the road. We think this caused the car to roll and possibly flip. By this time Kathy knew she was having a wreck. Instead of panicking and trying to regain control of the car, she had the wisdom to know there was nothing she could do and just waited it out.

The car ended up against a billboard about 10 yards off the highway, right side up, but facing west (the direction she came from).

The car was totaled, but Kathy only suffered minor injuries because she was wearing her seat belt.

The picture posted here is of Kathy and me celebrating our 36^th wedding anniversary this year in Hawaii. I am so thankful she buckled up that day. Otherwise, it might have been a completely different story.

There are two morals to this story: First, although you have heard it before, it certainly bears repeating - ALWAYS buckle up when you are driving! Second, be aware of your body clock - if you have not been getting enough sleep, don’t get behind the wheel. If you do get drowsy while driving, stop and rest!

I hope my story illustrates that the consequences of drowsy driving can be as impactful as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

 

Steve Locke is a Project Manager at KDOT in Topeka