The National Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 crashes each year are the results of sleepy drivers. These crashes cause 1550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in property loss and diminished activity. The scary part is that the number of such crashes may be much higher, perhaps even double.
Why aren't more of these accidents reported? Many times police do not recognize the signs of drowsy driving and there are no codes to follow. Therefore, many such accidents are attributed to other causes.
While anyone can experience occasional bouts with drowsy driving, the people most at risk are young men between the ages of 16 and 29, people who suffer from untreated or undiagnosed sleep disorders, the elderly, shift workers, and drivers who spend many hours behind the wheel without a break. This includes commercial drivers.
A member of the National Sleep Foundation recently testified before a congressional hearing about this problem which is increasing daily. Funding is needed to teach people how to prevent drowsy driving. Police officers need to be better trained in recognizing drowsy driving as a cause of accidents. Rumble strips on highways is another way of preventing some accidents.
Most of these accidents occur between midnight and 6 a.m., the natural time for sleep. Others occur during the mid-afternoon circadian rhythm dip. In some countries, this is the time to stop work for the afternoon siesta.
Drowsiness impairs a driver's reaction time, his judgement and even his vision. Some drivers may even fall asleep for very brief periods. Others will become so drowsy and fatigued they will actually fall sound asleep without realizing they have a problem. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as driving drunk, and not nearly as easily detected.
As mentioned, certain groups are more at risk than others. This does not rule out the rest of the population. In a 1999 poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 62% of all adults who responded admitted driving while drowsy. 27% said they had actually dozed off while driving. In 1996, in a British poll of 9000 drivers, most of the drivers said that 7% of their crashes could be attributed to sleepiness or fatigue.
When driving, watch for signs you are becoming sleepy, such as yawning, lack of concentration or trouble keeping your eyes open. If you notice any of these signs or anything else that may indicate you are not driving with full mental capacity, pull over and take a break. Find a place to catch a little sleep and don't continue until you feel refreshed and awake.
