My biggest panic in the car was when we were driving the family back from Thanksgiving with the larger family. It began to snow when we started out, and before we left town there were 4 inches on the ground, it was dark, and vey slippery.
We chugged along for a while, then pulled off into a Rest Area and my ex took the wheel. I must have dozed off, then I awakened with a start, saw the road ahead of me, and started desperately trying to find the wheel and pedals, thinking I was driving. Oof!
We had a laugh, soon swapped back. Going onward, before long we and everyone ahead and behind were driving by the rumble strip sounds when we went too far left or right. Some guessed wrong. Bye bye! Then we couldn't hear them any more, so the only guide was the little reflectors spaced out along the right side of the road. There was nowhere to get off and we had cars ahead and behind anyway.
I tried slowing very gradually, which least opened up the space ahead, and the snow got heavier and soon the taillights couldn't be seen ahead.
Next the darned reflectors had led us up an offramp and cars behind just followed me. When we could see the Stop sign we all knew what had happened and we all stopped. Got out with a brush and cleared the snow and ice piling up on the headlights, which helped.
Got back on the road and made it through until town. Took an early offramp deciding to switch to surface roads instead of the highway. Nope, not plowed yet and quite deep. Almost "beached" the car in a few spots. Finally got home and didn't make it up the apartment building driveway. Beached.
Got the babies inside and then went back to screw around shoveling and inching forward. I had to get the car into that back parking lot before another car came home.
That might sound crazy, but it's SOP when you live with snow.
Waking up not able to grab the steering wheel really freaked me out. So maybe something to make a passenger sleep might not be the best idea.
