How Bad is Drowsy Driving?
Posted on 7/11/2006
Drowsy driving, no big deal, right? According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2005 Sleep in America poll, 60% of adult drivers – about 168 million people- say they have driven while feeling drowsy, and more than one-third have actually fallen asleep at the wheel. Four percent- approximately 11 million drivers- admit they have had an accident or near accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive.
Sleepiness and driving are a dangerous combination. Most people are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving but do not realize that drowsy driving can be just as fatal. Like alcohol, sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases your risk of crashing.
Unlike alcohol-related crashes, no blood, breath or other objective test for sleepiness behind the wheel currently exists that investigators could give to a driver at the scene of a crash. This makes police training in identifying drowsiness as a crash factor very difficult.
There are warning signs that a driver may be fatigued or drowsy according to the National Sleep Foundation. All of the following signs mean that a driver should pull over and rest:
- Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking or heavy eyelids
- Daydreaming, wandering/disconnected thoughts
- Trouble remembering the last few miles driven as well as missing exits
- Yawning repeatedly, rubbing eyes and difficulty keeping your head up
- Drifting from your lane, tailgating or hitting a shoulder or rumble strip
- Feeling restless and irritable
The most common denominators in the drowsy driving equation are sleep deprivation and fatigue. Data from the National Sleep Foundation states that adults should get 8 to 8 ½ hours of sleep each night to maintain a normal sleep-wake cycle.
Make sure that if you feel that you or a loved one may have some type of sleep disorder, you consult your physician. The Sleep Center at St. Alexius Medical Center provides comprehensive clinical evaluation, diagnosis and management of children and adults with all types of sleep disorders. St. Alexius has a state-of-the-art sleep center that is nationally accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, with two highly trained sleep specialists, to meet your needs.
So, before you being that long drive home or begin your summer vacation travel, make sure you know what the signs of fatigue are and pay close attention to those signs.