Just as Dangerous as Driving Drunk: Driving Long Hours at Night

Approximately 20 percent of all traffic accidents can be attributed to prolonged nighttime highway driving, according to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research. Being sleepy at the wheel can be a result of too few hours of zzz's; it can also be caused by medication. Drivers who were tested in this study showed significant impairment: They drove as badly --as dangerously-- as drivers who had been drinking. Two hours of nighttime driving was the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of .05; three hours, .08.

On a related note, here's a frightening statistic: According to the National Sleep Foundation, 37 percent of drivers in the United States admit to falling asleep at the wheel within the past year.

Sleepy? The best thing to do might be to leave the car at home and not risk being the cause of the next accident reported on the Beltway.

Venting Road Rage

That SUV cuts you off on the way to BWI. What do you do? Chances are that the driver won't see your middle finger and is driving so fast that laying on the horn will only serve as example of how the Doppler effect works. There's no satisfaction there.

That's where Fail Driver comes in. Fail Driver lets you report idiot drivers, with photos and license plate information if you want. Fail Driver has a iPhone app, so you don't have to wait until you're home to report that driver who tailgated you all the way from Gaithersburg: You can report the driver while you're still steaming (assuming you're the passenger.)  If you're just curious about where bad drivers have been spotted, but don't want to participate, you can view Fail Driver's map.

Holiday Traffic and How to Avoid It

"If you're heading out of town this weekend, you can expect heavy traffic on the roads." Dog bites man story, right? Not only is every holiday weekend a bad time to drive, but the roads are congested every day in the DC area.

What can you do about the traffic if you can't afford your own private helicopter and home heliport?  What you can do is to check the traffic before you put your car in drive. With a little heads up, you can avoid the worst roads and chose alternate routes. There are several websites that can give you a preview of what lies ahead. The best place to start is with the District of Columbia traffic cams. Take a peek at the local streets before you head out. There's almost nothing worse than starting out on a long drive, only to have it take 45 minutes just to get to the Beltway.