Drowsy Driving is more Common than Previously Thought

Two out of five drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel,

according to a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study.

NEWS from AAA Oklahoma, Nov. 8 – Two out of every five drivers admitted in a recent survey to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, with one in ten saying they’ve done so in the past year, according to a new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study. More than a quarter of those surveyed admitted that during the past month they drove despite being so tired they had difficulty keeping their eyes open.

Eighty-five percent of drivers surveyed felt it was “completely unacceptable” for someone to drive if they are so tired they are having trouble keeping their eyes open.  Unfortunately, drivers may not always be aware of the effects of fatigue resulting from a lack of sleep. In recognition of this week’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, hosted by the National Sleep Foundation, AAA is highlighting the seriousness of this dangerous, yet underestimated, driving practice.

“Sleepiness decreases awareness, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment, just like drugs or alcohol, contributing to the possibility of a crash,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “We need to change our culture so that not only will drivers recognize the dangers of driving while drowsy but will stop doing it.”

A new analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash data from 1999 to 2008 estimates that about one in six (16.5 percent) deadly crashes involved a driver who was drowsy. In addition, drowsy driving was involved in one in eight crashes resulting in occupant hospitalization and one in fourteen crashes in which a vehicle was towed. These percentages are substantially higher than previous estimates.

“Many of us tend to underestimate the risks involved with driving when we’re tired and we tend to overestimate our ability to drive safely in that condition,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “There are simple, effective steps we can take to prevent tragedy on the road but unfortunately, too many of us have adopted the ‘I'm sleepy, but I can make it’ mentality.”

The National Sleep Foundation has been championing heightened awareness of drowsy driving dangers since 1991. David Cloud, the NSL’s CEO said, “It is shocking to consider that one quarter of drivers admit to operating a vehicle in the last month in an incapacitated state.”

To remain alert and avoid drowsiness, AAA suggests:

• Getting plenty of sleep (at least six hours) the night before a long trip;
• Scheduling a break every two hours or every 100 miles;
• Traveling at times when you are normally awake, and staying overnight rather than driving straight through; and
• Pulling over and stopping if you become sleepy; someone who is tired is at risk of falling asleep at any time.

Symptoms of sleepiness include:

• Having trouble keeping your eyes open and focused;
• The inability to keep your head up;
• Daydreaming or having wandering, disconnected thoughts; and
• Drifting from your lane or off the road, or tailgating.

These findings are part of the AAA Foundation’s third annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Abt SRBI Inc. from May 11 through June 7, 2010 of 2,000 U.S. residents ages 16 and older. The estimated proportion of crashes involving a drowsy driver is based on analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System, a nationally-representative sample of crashes involving a passenger vehicle that was towed.

For more information about the drowsy driving study, including the full report and fact sheet, visit www.AAAFoundation.org.

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Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an independent, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur.