Driving while drowsy can be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Surveys found that over 60% of Americans report driving while feeling drowsy and over 25% have fallen asleep at the wheel. Each year in the US, around 1500 people die in crashes related to drowsy driving and 40,000 are injured. High-risk groups include young adults, commercial drivers, and shift workers. Drowsiness impairs judgment, reaction time, and awareness behind the wheel.

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2. “Driving while drowsy is no
different than driving under the
influence of alcohol or drugs,” said
Richard Gelula, the National Sleep
Foundation’s executive director.
“Sleepiness slows reaction time,
decreases awareness and impairs
judgment.”

4. Each year, at least, 1500 people die in crashes related to
sleepy, fatigued or drowsy drivers in the US.
Each year, at least, 40,000 people are injured in drowsy
driver crashes.
62% of surveyed American adults (72% of men and 54%
of women) reported driving while feeling drowsy.
37% of surveyed American adults (49% of men and 26%
of women) said they have dozed off while driving at least
once.
27% of surveyed American adults (36% of men and 20%
of women) said they have dozed off while driving at least
once.
12% of surveyed people say sleeplessness affected their
driving.

5. The inability to recall the last few miles traveled
Having disconnected or wandering thoughts
having difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open
Drifting out of your driving lane, perhaps driving on the
rumble strips
Yawning repeatedly
Accidently tailgating other vehicles
Missing traffic signs

6. Most crashes are near
misses occur between
4:00am to 6:00am;
midnight – 2:00am and
2:00pm – 4:00pm are also
peak times for crashes to
occur

7. Young People – In a North Commercial Drivers – in addition
Carolina state study, 55% fatigue- to the high number of miles
related crashes involved people driven each year, truck drivers
25-years-old and younger; 78% also drive during the night. Most
of them were males. people are programmed to sleep
Shift Workers – studies suggest when it’s dark; experts suggest
that 20 to 30 percent of those that driving be avoided during
with non-traditional work the “low” period between 2 and
schedules have had a sleep- 6 a.m.
related driving mishap within the
last year. One study shows that
shift workers are two to five
times more likely than
employees with regular, daytime
work hours to fall asleep on the
job.

8. Turning up the volume of Smoking or chewing tobacco
your radio Driving over ruble strips
Singing loudly Listening to stimulating or
Chewing gum or eating food loud music
Getting out of the car and Taking off shoes or loosening
running around clothing
Slapping or pinching yourself Conversing with someone
Sticking your head out the Rolling head and/or shoulders
window or other stationary exercise
Rolling down all the windows Driving a stick shift
Changing the temperature in Changing driver’s seating
the vehicle position
Trying not to stare at division Screaming
line Playing games in the car

9.  Coffee overcomes the effects of drowsiness while driving? False
Caffeine is not a substitute for sleep. It works only in the short run and wears off fast.
You are still subject to sleep deprived “micro-naps” that can last 4-5 seconds. At 55 mph,
that is more than 100 yards!
 I can tell when I’m going to sleep. False
Most people think this is true. It simply is not. If you’re drowsy, you know generally when
you might fall asleep, but the moment is something completely out of your control. You
also do not know how long you have been asleep, and even a few seconds can end up
with fatal results for you or someone else.
 I’m a safe driver so it doesn’t matter if I’m sleepy. False
The only safe driver is the alert driver. A driving instructor becomes a menace if they are
sleepy behind the wheel. The young man who was awarded “America’s Safest Teen
Driver” in 1990 later fell asleep behind the wheel and was killed.
 I can’t take naps. False
Many people say this. If you think you can’t nap, stop the care and recline for 15 minutes
anyway. Find a quiet place that is safe…the corner of a mall or a gas station. Lock your
doors, and roll up your windows. I

10.  I get plenty of sleep. False
Ask yourself this…do you wake up rested? I know precious few
people who can answer that yes. The average person needs 7-8
hours of sleep a night. If you don’t get it, you are building up a
“sleep debt” which is cumulative.
 Being sleepy make you misperceive things. True
 Have you ever driven at night and thought you’d seen an animal
but it turned out to be something else? A drowsy driver does
not process information as fast or accurately as an alert driver
and is unable to react quickly enough to avoid a collision.
 Young people need less sleep. False
 In fact, teens and young adults need more sleep than people in
their 30’s. This is due to increased activity and output wich need
more regeneration time.

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