If you find yourself getting drowsy after extended time on the road, it might be a sign of an issue with your car. A driver recently shared on TikTok that a carbon monoxide leak in the cabin of her car was to blame for exhaustion after longer drives.
"Anytime I find myself driving for longer than an hour, I find myself having to pull over to the side of the road or a gas station and take a nap," TikToker dasiadoesit (@dasiadoesit) says in a recent video.
According to her video, the worst trip was a drive into Nashville, where she sat in traffic. In addition to the tiredness experienced whenever she drove a long distance, new symptoms started while she sat in her car, like nausea and a headache — she wondered if she was getting the flu.
Turns out, the long drives were causing a build-up of carbon monoxide while she sat in the driver's seat.
@dasiadoesit Rip to the cells that didnt make it because it took so long to figure this out due the capitalist in my brain gaslighting me into thinking i was just lazy and needed to work harder at my sleep routine. #thelongnight #fyp #blackgirltiktok #carproblems ♬ original sound - dasiadoesit
The CDC notes that carbon monoxide poisoning can cause symptoms like sleepiness, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. The fumes from gas-burning cars and trucks — plus lanterns, gas grills, fireplaces, furnaces, and stoves — can poison users if not properly ventilated. The gas has no color and no odor, and it can build up in enclosed spaces. An added benefit of electric vehicles and other electric home appliances is that they do not produce carbon monoxide.
In the case of this driver, the carbon monoxide build-up that occurred while she was driving was likely due to a faulty exhaust system or poor maintenance of the engine. These issues are often avoided by regular maintenance and emissions testing, which many states enforce to limit the amount of harmful pollution in the air.
To avoid this dangerous — and potentially deadly — health concern, make sure to get your car's emissions tested every year and bring your car to a mechanic if you get a failing grade.
Commenters on the video were shocked at this revelation.
"Girl that's so scary omg. I didn't know that could happen," said one user.
Others offered important advice in the interim.
"If your car has the recirculating air option, TURN IT OFF. After 15 min of driving, the (carbon monoxide) levels are HIGH," a commenter noted.
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