A method for driving a single-phase electric motor includes switching drive electronics to a first on-state during a first on-time interval of a pulse width modulation period, switching the drive electronics to a second on-state during a second on-time interval of the pulse width modulation period, switching the drive electronics to an off-state between the first and second on-time intervals, and measuring the phase current with a current sensor. The first and the second on-time interval of one pulse width modulation period are provided with different interval lengths if a defined effective duty cycle is lower than a first duty cycle threshold value so that one of the first and the second on-time interval has an interval length which is equal to or larger than a defined minimum on-time interval length. The phase current is measured during the first and/or second on-time interval with the defined minimum on-time interval length.