Driving drowsy can impair judgment and slow response times, making it harder to physically or mentally react to stimuli than in a standard and alert state.
Every November, the National Sleep Foundation conducts Drowsy Driving Prevention Week to cut back the variety of drowsy driving crashes. In 2024, the prevention week is held from Nov. 3-9.
In support of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, MarketWatch Guides and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a brand new study on annual drowsy driving statistics. It shows that impaired driving is commonly related to cellphone use or drugs and alcohol, but drowsy driving is just as dangerous.
In line with the updated statistics, the NHTSA reported 693 deaths resulting from crashes involving drowsy drivers in 2022. This shows a rise from 2021, where 684 deaths were reported as a direct results of drowsy driving.
Take a take a look at the next statistics surrounding drowsy driving:
- A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 1 in 25 drivers admitted to falling asleep while driving within the prior 30 days.
- Most drowsy driving-related accidents involve motorists moving off the road at high rates of speed, often with no evidence of braking.
- Drowsy driving-related accidents usually tend to occur within the early morning hours between midnight and 6 a.m. and within the late afternoon. These times correspond with natural dips within the circadian rhythms liable for regulating sleep.
- Accidents attributable to drowsy driving often occur on highways and rural roads.
Why Is Drowsy Driving Dangerous?
Driving drowsy can impair judgment and slow response times, making it harder to physically or mentally react to stimuli than in a standard and alert state.
In certain instances, response times also increase more over time for sleepy drivers than for drivers with the right rest. In other words, the longer you’re sleepy behind the wheel, the greater the impairment to your judgment.
Sleep deprivation can mirror the results of drunkenness, a comparison that’s bolstered by various studies. In a single study, some sleep-deprived participants performed equal to or worse than drunk participants with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05% when performing certain tasks.
Even the smallest change in response time can put drowsy drivers at the next risk of causing or being involved in a automotive crash, especially when traveling at high speeds.
Fatal Consequences and Financial Impact of Drowsy Driving
Unfortunately, determining a precise variety of drowsy-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities will not be yet possible. Crash investigators can search for clues that drowsiness contributed to a collision, but these clues are only sometimes identifiable or conclusive.
NHTSA’s census of fatal crashes and estimate of traffic-related crashes and injuries depend on police and hospital reports to find out the incidence of drowsy-driving crashes.
The NHTSA estimates that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers. These crashes led to an estimated 50,000 people injured and nearly 800 deaths.
Survivors of drowsy driving-related automotive accidents proceed to wrestle with the results of their actions, primarily via their annual automotive insurance premiums.
A single at-fault accident in your driving record can increase your premium by a whole bunch of dollars to over $1,000. Multiple accidents compound these rates attributable to increased insurance risk as a driver.
The NHTSA reported 693 deaths resulting from crashes involving drowsy drivers in 2022.
Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving
In line with the CDC, the next represent signs of drowsy driving:
- Yawning or blinking often
- Trouble remembering the past few miles driven
- Missing your exit
- Drifting out of your lane
- Hitting a rumble strip on the side of the road
In line with the study, passengers also needs to closely monitor motorists for signs of drowsy driving and search for rest areas if the motive force must pull off.
Who Is Most at Risk for Drowsy Driving?
The NHTSA previously reported the next population groups to be at the best risk for drowsy driving:
- Shift staff: Work shifts that interfere with the natural circadian rhythm can put employees at the next risk of drowsy driving. Shifts that begin at or near dark and extend into the early morning could negatively impact driving ability.
- Young people: Increased socialization, extracurricular activities, jobs, and schoolwork can all keep young drivers on the road longer and later, increasing their risk of drowsy driving.
- People living with sleeping disorders: Left untreated, sleeping disorders comparable to sleep apnea and narcolepsy can increase the chance of automotive crashes attributable to drowsiness.
Methods to Prevent Drowsy Driving
Understanding methods to avoid drowsy driving requires greater than just hitting the snooze button. Listed here are a couple of suggestions from the CDC and NHTSA you can use to stay alert the following time you get into the motive force’s seat:
- Aim for around seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
- Check your medications for negative effects of drowsiness, and use public transportation in the event that they’re present.
- Avoid using tricks comparable to opening the window, turning up the radio, or guzzling coffee or energy drinks. Their effects on drowsiness are minimal and short-lived.
- Seek treatment for sleep-related conditions like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol before you drive, even in case you’re well under the legal limit.
- Take frequent breaks or pull over to rest in case you feel yourself getting drowsy.
Editor’s Note: This text was originally published in November 2023 and was updated on November 6, 2024, for continued relevancy on drowsy driving and related statistics.
This Article First Appeared At www.automotive-fleet.com
