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Welcome to the fifth edition of the “Traffic Safety Times”! This edition of the e-newsletter focuses on
drowsy driving. This electronic
newsletter is provided to the northern Virginia
and Shenandoah Valley regions by the Center for the
Advancement of Public Health at George
Mason University. Funded by a grant from the Virginia
Department of Motor Vehicles, this e-newsletter is designed to help law
enforcement agencies and other organizations provide traffic safety
information to residents of the region.
What is drowsy driving?
Drowsy driving can mean a number of things, such as falling asleep
while driving or simply not paying attention while driving due to fatigue or
lack of sleep. Definitions of drowsy
driving or driver fatigue rely on how the concept of “fatigue” is defined,
which is a general term usually used to describe the experience of being
“sleepy,” “tired,” “drowsy,” or “exhausted.”
All of these terms have different meanings in research and clinical
settings; however, with regard to traffic safety and transportation fields,
the terms tend to be used interchangeably.
Did you know?
Fact: The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 100,000 crashes reported to police are
caused by drowsy driving or driver fatigue each year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths,
71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.
Typically, these crashes are reported to:
- Occur
between the hours of midnight
and 6 a.m.
- Involve
a single vehicle
- Involve
a sober driver traveling alone
- Occur
with the car leaving the roadway without any attempt to avoid the
crash.
These figures underestimate the true level of involvement
of drowsy driving because they do not include crashes that involve daytime
hours, more than one vehicle, alcohol, passengers, or evasive maneuvers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the
National Sleep Foundation (NSF) have both researched the topic of drowsy
driving to great lengths. Several
reports and programs are available to the public; also, many web sites
provide the latest information and resources to help raise awareness about
this important topic.
Findings from NSF‘s 2002 Sleep in America poll said that
one-half of American adult drivers – 51% or about 100 million people – are on
the roads while they feel sleepy.
America Online asked the same question in their poll, “How often do
you feel drowsy when driving?” and found similar results with nearly two
million users responding feeling drowsy while behind the wheel.
Due to these findings, NSF commends the state of New
Jersey for its legislation called “Maggie’s Law,” addressing
the dangers of drowsy driving. “Maggie’s Law” is the first law in the nation
that states a sleep-deprived driver is a reckless one who can be convicted of
vehicular homicide. To read more about
“Maggie’s Law,” visit the NSF web site at: www.sleepfoundation.org/PressArchives/maggiestmnt.cfm.
NSF’s Drive Alert…Arrive Alive
national campaign was launched in 1993 and takes aim at the under-recognized
problem of sleep-related crashes.
Every year, drivers who fall asleep at the wheel are at fault for
thousands of automobile and commercial vehicle crashes. This campaign works to reduce the number of
sleep-related crashes. To learn more
about the program and to get tips on preventing drowsy driving and
fall-asleep crashes, visit: www.sleepfoundation.org/activities/daaamain.cfm.
NSF launched a new web site on November 24, 2003 dedicated to preventing the
nationwide problem of drowsy driving.
It is a comprehensive web site and the first of its kind. Visitors can get tips that describe warning
signs and symptoms of the onset of sleepiness and what to do if one becomes
sleepy behind the wheel. Additional
tools and resources are being created and include research studies and
surveys on drowsy driving; also included are associated links for drivers of
all ages, employers, researchers, teachers, policymakers, and advocates
working on this topic. For more on
this new initiative, please visit www.drowsydriving.org.
NHTSA has many programs to aid in addressing drowsy
driving, including both educational and technological solutions. The educational programs are geared to
specific subpopulations as well as the general driving public. Current educational efforts are directed at
shift workers and college students, using social marketing approaches to
develop appropriate messages and delivery mechanisms. Programs increase awareness of the need to
sleep and give useful information on ways to get better quality sleep, how to
recognize when a driver is fighting sleep, and what to do when the driver is
too sleepy to drive.
To learn more about NHTSA’s
drowsy driving programs and research findings, visit their web site at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/drowsy_driving1/.
Sleeping
and driving don’t mix! Being behind
the wheel of a car combined with sleepiness or fatigue is very
dangerous. Most people understand how
dangerous drinking and driving is; however, they may not realize that drowsy
driving can be as fatal as drunk driving.
Much like drugs and alcohol, sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases
awareness, impairs judgment, and increases the risk of a crash.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee developed a website, www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us, that touches on drowsy driving and focuses on several
other traffic safety topics as well.
To learn more about the signs of drowsiness, what you can do to stay
alert while driving, and quick do’s and don’ts about drowsy driving, click on
New York State’s DMV traffic safety page at: http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/ts-place.htm.
National Sleep Awareness Week will be held from March 29
to April 4, 2004. NSF sponsors this major public awareness
campaign and it is intended to promote the importance of quality sleep to
health, productivity, and safety. NSF
has provided a link on their web site called, “Top Ten Sleep Tips for
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle.” To
view these tips, visit NSF’s web site at: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleeptips.cfm.
Other Interesting Links:
For more
information on this and other safety topics, please visit the following
websites:
· www.dmvnow.com/webdoc/general/safety/index.asp
Future editions of “Traffic Safety
Times” will concentrate on other topics, offer resources, highlight strategies and address issues suggested by
you. We welcome your suggestions for
future topics, as well as any comments or concerns. We can be reached by phone at (703) 993-3697
or via e-mail at caph@gmu.edu.
George Mason University
Center for the Advancement of
Public Health
4400 University Dr., MS 1F5
North PE Module G, Room 23
Fairfax, VA
22030-4444
Phone:
703.993.3697
Fax:
703.993.3763
E-mail: caph@gmu.edu
Web: www.caph.gmu.edu
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