Driver’s Manual | 49 • Taking medication that increases sleepiness  or drinking alcohol. • Driving alone.  • Driving on long, rural, or boring roads. • Frequent travelers, e.g., business travelers  and long-distance commuters. • Young People – Drowsy driving crashes are  most common for young people, who tend  to stay up late, sleep too little and drive at  night. • Shift Workers – Drivers who have non-tradi- tional work schedules have a greater risk of  being involved in a fatigue-related traffic crash. • People With Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders –  The presence of a sleep disorder increases  the risk of crashes. If you find you are regu- larly tired in the daytime or experience any  of these symptoms on a regular basis, you  may have a sleep disorder and should seek  medical help. • Recognize that you are close to sleep and  cannot calculate when sleep may occur. • Not depend on the radio, open window or  other “tricks” to keep you awake. • Find a safe place to stop for a break in  response to symptoms of fatigue. • Pull off into a safe area away from traffic and  take a brief nap (15 to 45 minutes). • Drink coffee or another source of caffeine to  promote short-term alertness if needed. (It  takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter  the bloodstream.) NOTE:  See Chapter 9 for more information about  the dangers of driving under the influence of  alcohol and other drugs. Prevention  – Before you embark on a trip, you  should: If you suspect that you are drowsy when driving,  you must: A driver can become distracted from safe  driving by use of a mobile telephone (like a  cellular telephone). In New York State, it is a traffic  infraction to speak into or listen to a hand-held  mobile telephone while driving. For a first offense,  you could be required to pay a fine up to $200  and receive five license points. The phone may  be hand-held to activate, begin, or end a call.  Exemptions are provided for calls for emergency  situations, for police and other law enforcement  officers and for fire department personnel and op- erators of authorized emergency vehicles in the  performance of official duties. In New York State,  a hands-free mobile telephone allows the user to  communicate without the use of either hand. A  driver can use a hands-free telephone at any time. In New York State, it is illegal to use portable  electronic devices, such as cell phones and  smart phones, to send or receive text messages  or e-mails while driving. The penalty for a first  offense is a fine of up to $200. A second offense  (both committed within 18 months) is a fine up to  $250. A third or subsequent offense (all commit- ted within 18 months) is a fine up to $450. Also,  drivers with probationary and junior licenses who  use a hand-held phone or text while driving will  Penalties for texting, electronic device use Actions for the Drowsy Driver Effective Countermeasures USING A CELLULAR OR MOBILE TELEPHONE • Get enough sleep.  • Plan to drive long trips with a companion. • Schedule regular stops for every 100 miles or two hours. • Avoid alcohol and medications (over-the- counter and prescribed) that may impair  performance. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about any medication you are taking. Alcohol amplifies fatigue, increasing  its effects. • You are not at your best if you are ill or very  tired. Do not drive for at least 15 minutes  after waking from sleep.