Abstract: A pressure transducer is attached along the circumference of the steering wheel of a vehicle and measures total hand grip pressure on the wheel. A control unit having a microcontroller monitors the variable pressure signal from the transducer and sounds an alarm when the pressure falls below a lower limit and when the transient behavior of the pressure signal deteriorates substantially. A display unit, attached to the steering wheel and having a number of LED's, gives a visual indication of the driver's drowsiness level.