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Simply turning up the radio or opening the window are not effective ways to keep you alert.įor more tips on how to stay awake: Sleep Education External Pull over to a safe place and take a 15-20 minute nap or change drivers. If you experience any of the warning signs of drowsy driving while driving, Top of Page The Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving Affects a driver’s ability to make decisions.5įalling asleep at the wheel is very dangerous, but being sleepy affects your ability to drive safely even if you don’t fall asleep. Individuals who snored or slept 6 hours or less per day were more likely to fall asleep while driving.Approximately 1 out of 25 adults aged 18 years and older surveyed reported that they had fallen asleep while driving in the past 30 days.2-4 How Often Do Americans Fall Asleep While Driving? These estimates are conservative, though, and up to 6,000 fatal crashes each year may be caused by drowsy drivers. 886 fatal crashes (846 fatalities in 2014).The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 1 that between 20 drowsy driving was responsible for an annual average of: Operating a motor vehicle while fatigued or sleepy is commonly referred to as “drowsy driving.” The Impact of Drowsy Drivingĭrowsy driving poses a serious risk not only for one’s own health and safety, but also for the other people on the road. This usually happens when a driver has not slept enough, but it can also happen due to untreated sleep disorders, medications, drinking alcohol, and shift work. Drowsy driving is the dangerous combination of driving and sleepiness or fatigue. The risk, danger, and sometimes tragic results of drowsy driving are alarming. Learn the risks of drowsy driving and how to protect yourself.ĭrowsy driving is a major problem in the United States.
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