The idiom "asleep at the wheel" means that someone is not paying attention or being careless when they should be alert and focused. The phrase comes from the idea of a driver who falls asleep while driving a car, which can be very dangerous.
We use this idiom to describe a situation where someone is not doing their job properly or is not paying attention to an important task. For example, if a teacher is not paying attention to their students during a class, we might say that they are "asleep at the wheel." Similarly, if a manager is not paying attention to their team's progress on a project, we might say that they are "asleep at the wheel."
Overall, the idiom "asleep at the wheel" is a way to describe someone who is not doing what they should be doing, and it can be used in a variety of situations where someone is not being responsible or attentive.
• I almost missed my exit on the highway because I was so focused on my thoughts, I was asleep at the wheel.
• The company's CEO was asleep at the wheel and failed to notice the market trends, which led to the company's downfall.
• The pilot was asleep at the wheel, causing the plane to veer off course and almost crash into the mountains.
• My friend was so tired that he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed his car.
• The coach's lack of attention to his team's training and preparation was evident in their poor performance on the field. He was asleep at the wheel, neglecting his duties as a leader.
• The government's slow response to the pandemic shows that they were asleep at the wheel, failing to take necessary actions to prevent the spread of the virus.