We Know Drowsy Driving is Dangerous, But Just How Dangerous Is It?

From EMC Insurance 

We all know drowsy driving is dangerous, but just how dangerous is it? According to the National Safety Council: 

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports about 100,000 crashes each year involve drowsy driving, while the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that there are actually many more, with up to 328,000 drowsy driving crashes annually 
• NHTSA estimates that fatigue-related crashes cost $109 billion each year, not including property damage 
• Driving while drowsy is similar to driving after drinking; driving while not having slept for 20 or more hours has an impact similar to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08%, which is the U.S. limit 

These startling statistics reveal a severe problem facing drivers across the country. Factors that contribute to drowsy driving: 

• Untreated sleep disorders. 
• Too many hours on the road with not enough resting time along the way. 
• Working long hours on the job and then driving home (this is especially a problem with night-shift and swing-shift workers, whose bodies can’t fully adjust to time changes). 
• Driving while on medication that has drowsiness as a side effect. 

A few steps you can take to minimize the chances of falling asleep while driving: 

• Get adequate sleep (a minimum of 7-8 hours every night). 
• Know the signs of driving drowsy—difficulty focusing, yawning or drifting toward the shoulder or center line. If you find yourself doing these things, pull off the road and rest. 
• Find handouts, webinars and more information from the National Safety Council. 

EMC Senior Engineer Jim Stotser warns drivers not to rely on rumble strips on roadway shoulders and center lines to save you if you are driving drowsy. “Those strips are a slight deterrent to accidents, but oftentimes by the time the car runs over those strips, the driver is already asleep and it’s too late to change course,” Stotser says.