You stay up all night to finish a project.
You go to class and drop off the project that has reduced your total hours of sleep to something roughly equivalent to your grade point average.
Then you throw your belongings in your car, get a large coffee, roll down the windows, turn up the stereo and hit the gas.
You've just begun a risky drive that could ultimately make you a statistic.
About 56,000 crashes are caused by drowsy driving annually, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those accidents, nearly two-thirds involve people under the age of 30.
Former Ball State University student Kevin Theobald stayed up all night to pack May 8, shortly after finals. He left Muncie at 4 a.m. to be home to work by 8 a.m.
He never got to work.
He fell asleep driving and ran his sport utility vehicle into a semitrailer. He died hours later.
While unfortunate, Theobald's death serves as a painful reminder to students pushing their bodies beyond their physical limits.
Everyone wants to get home for break.
Even if you stay awake, driving when you're tired can have negative effects on your ability to drive.
Driving while exhausted is not much different than driving drunk.
Your reaction time and ability to think are severely impaired. Your perception is distorted and you miss signals when you are too tired and try to drive.
If you close your eyes for just one second at 60 mph, you've traveled 88 feet according to the NHTSA.
Taking a nap is a good delay, even if you get home later than you prefer.
Wherever your holiday travels take you, plan ahead to ensure you are fully alert and rested for the drive.
Getting to your destination safely is much more important than trying to get there quickly.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
