Drivers under 25 years old are more likely the drive drowsy than any other age group.
Americans are climbing behind the wheel and piling up the miles at record levels. All of that time increases the chances of running across the driver presenting a growing threat to road safety: the drowsy driver.
A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association partnered with State Farm Insurance highlights the effects of being tired behind the wheel: it can be as dangerous as driving drunk.
There are 83.6 million motorists “driving tired” on a daily basis, including a third of drivers acknowledging they drive drowsy at least once a month. One out of every seven drivers admitted to nodding off while driving at least once in their lives, the report noted.
“Sleep is a restorative and life-sustaining activity that is just as important as eating right and exercising,” said Pam Fischer, the report’s author. “When we skimp on sleep, we’re less able to react quickly – a critical element of safe driving. Our mental and physical health also suffers.”
This underreported condition has a real impact on people’s lives as researchers estimate that there are about 328,000 crashes, including more than 6,400 deaths, each year involving drowsy driving.
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Driving while sleep deprived can be the equivalent of drunk driving. In fact, going 24 hours without sleep was found to be comparable to a .10% blood alcohol level, which exceeds the minimum level for drunk driving in most states.
Although drowsy driving is becoming a bigger issue, drunk drivers remain the biggest threat on the road. Drunk driving accounted for 9,967 fatalities in 2014, or 31% of all fatal crashes according to the Centers for Disease Control.
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The study suggests drowsy driving deaths account for between 2 and 20% of all traffic fatalities. Hard numbers are difficult because it’s tough to determine when drowsy driving is the cause. Younger drivers are more like to drive drowsy, the report notes, as more than 50% of drowsy driving crashes involved drivers 25 years old or younger.
“There are challenges associated with both measuring and combating drowsy driving,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “Law enforcement lack protocols and training to help officers recognize drowsy driving at roadside. And if a crash occurs, the drowsy driver may not report the cause due to concerns about monetary and other penalties.”
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To avoid drowsy driving, the GHSA suggests teens get 8 to 10 hours of sleep and adults 7 to 9 hours of sleep before driving. The report recommends that motorists avoid driving alone, and not to start trips in the early morning or early afternoon when people tend to be least alert and most tired.