Five Ways Too Much Coffee Can Make Your Driving Worse
Caffeine intake is way up over the past decade, partly because of energy drinks. But the average cup of coffee is also just stronger than it used to be, AND we're drinking more of it.
A writer for "The Telegraph" talked to an expert who explained why too much caffeine can actually make your driving WORSE.
If you're a little drowsy, caffeine CAN make you feel more alert. But you eventually reach a point where you should just pull over and sleep.
Here are five ways too much coffee can make you a worse driver . . .
1. Poor decision-making. Adding caffeine when you really need sleep can make you more anxious and affect decision-making skills.
2. Tremors. Overstimulating your nervous system can cause your hands and legs to shake.
3. Slowed reactions. A little caffeine makes you more alert. But too much causes over-arousal and delayed reaction times.
4. Visual disturbances. Too much caffeine can make your eye muscles twitch, so it's harder to focus. It can lead to rapid blinking and blurred vision.
5. Headaches. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels in your brain, which usually HELPS with headaches. That's why it's in a lot of headache meds. But if you drink a lot of coffee EVERY DAY, it can backfire.
Your body adapts, and your blood vessels get used to being tighter than normal. So when caffeine levels drop, you get withdrawal headaches . . . and driving with a headache isn't fun, or safe.
Originally posted on November 4th, 2025
