Untitled Document

Sleepy drivers create safety problems for others

Drowsy driving often is difficult to identify as causing a motor vehicle crash because drivers can be reluctant to admit they simply fell asleep at the wheel.

Much like distracted driving, drowsy or fatigued driving involves taking a driver’s attention away from the task of driving while that vehicle travels over highways and through traffic with no one in real control.

Most attention and research on fatigue behind the wheel has involved commercial truckers but the problem is far more widespread, according to surveys conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Two of every five drivers (41 percent) in the United States admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, and more than one in 10 has done so in the past year, according to recent AAA Foundation research.

Nationwide, these drivers are involved in one of every six deadly crashes and one in eight crashes resulting in serious injury

Three previous national telephone surveys, two in the U.S. and one in Canada, support estimates of the prevalence and suggest key characteristics of drowsy driving.

The National Sleep Foundation surveyed 1,456 U.S. drivers in 2004 and found that 60 percent reported that they had driven while feeling drowsy at least once within the past year. More than one-third of those surveyed said they had nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle at least once in their lifetime.

Canadian responses from 1,209 drivers in 2005 were similar: more than half (57 percent) had driven while tired and one in five had dozed off at least once in the previous year.

“I find it interesting that driving while drowsy does not just occur late at night,” said Highway Safety Manager Brent Jennings. “About one-third of those drivers who admit to nodding off say the most recent incident occurred between noon and 6 p.m.

“In addition, drowsy driving is not limited to long trips,” he explained. “In the surveys, nearly half of the drivers who nodded off had been driving for an hour or less.

“It’s often difficult to determine whether drowsy driving contributed to a crash,” he said. “Similar to distracted driving, drivers may be reluctant after a crash to admit they dozed off while behind the wheel.”

Young males under age 26, night-shift workers, commercial drivers, business travelers battling jet lag and people with untreated sleep disorders are groups at risk for drowsy driving.

Warning signs of drowsy driving include: difficulty keeping your eyes open and focused, and/or heavy eyelids; difficulty keeping your head up; drifting from your lane; swerving, tailgating and/or hitting rumble strips; inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven; missing traffic signals or driving past a desired exit; yawning repeatedly and rubbing your eyes; and feeling irritable or restless.

The AAA Foundation encourages all drivers to get at least seven hours the night before a long trip and stop driving if you become sleepy. It’s also recommended to travel at times you’re normally awake. Consider staying overnight instead of driving straight through to a destination. Travel with a passenger who is awake, if possible.

Finally, take a break every few hours or 100 miles. Try drinking a caffeinated beverage but remember that it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream. Pull over in a safe place for a 20- to 30-minute nap while waiting for the caffeine to take effect.