Driving in Lagos traffic could be annoying sometimes and at other times it could really just be boring. If you were home, there are some ways to fight boredom. Fighting boredom in Lagos traffic is another ball game entirely because there are other factors to put into perspective.

We have come up with some ways you can deal with boredom or rather avoid sleeping while driving in Lagos traffic.

1. Take a short nap

You can never go wrong with a little sleep here and there. When you are stuck in traffic on let’s say the 3rd Mainland bridge, just know that you would be staying there for a while. So instead of staying awake for the full stretch, why not take a nap in between just to rest your eyes, your hands and even legs. Your legs are important and need to be at its best especially if you are driving a manual car where you always need your foot on the clutch. There is nobody that would arrest you for taking a nap in traffic except the car behind you when the traffic begins to move.

2. Wipe your face with a wet towel

When you are stuck in traffic and you are feeling sleepy, the best way to avoid it is to take a face towel and pour a little water on it then use it to wipe your face. This is a way to avoid sleeping at the wheels because the wet towel will keep your eyes open and wide awake. You can also use wet wipes for this or better still just wash your face with water.

3. Drive with someone

When you want to do this, make sure the person you are driving with is a good company and would keep you awake not someone that would get bored easily. Most drivers on long journeys prefer someone that talks a lot to sit with them so as to keep them company and not make them fall asleep. The same goes for you in traffic. You need someone that can strike a conversation from anything and also keep you awake all through the traffic. Having good company helps you a lot in traffic.

4. Have chewing gum in your car

Another way to avoid sleeping in Lagos traffic is to chew gum. Even if you don’t have one already, you can always get from hawkers as they would be crawling all around you. When you continue chewing and blowing bubble in your face, you will definitely stay awake. Not only gum, you could also get some menthol sweets to keep your eyes clear. These are some of the things you can easily get your hands on to chew or lick while you are in traffic to avoid sleeping.

5. Do not drink alcohol

This is very important if you are going to be driving in Lagos traffic. Make sure you have not taken alcohol. Alcohol can cause a little drowsiness while you are driving and you might not be able to control it and your own motor skills. When you get off work and want to hang out with friends, know what you should drink if you know you would be driving later on. There is no harm in turning down one or two offers of alcohol when you know you would be getting behind the wheels later. Drinking alcohol before or while driving is dangerous to both the driver and the passengers.

6. Turn your stereo volume up

There is a suggestion that says you should turn the volume of your music to 90 decibels, but the thing is not everyone can measure it and most of us don’t even know what it means. So, to be straightforward let us just say turn up the music till you would not be comfortable enough to sleep in it. There is a level you turn the music to that it would start to annoy you, but because you know the reason for increasing the volume you won’t really get angry. Be warned though, do not turn this volume up for too long as it can disrupt your hearing, so just do it for a while before turning it back down.

These are some of the ways you can avoid sleeping while in Lagos traffic so as to avoid accident or distractions. You can find more driving tips and advice on Naijacarnews.com.