People fighting off the need to sleep while driving are putting themselves and others in serious danger. Most people don’t seem to realize that drowsy driving is often as deadly as drunk driving. Feeling drowsy slows a person’s reaction time, impairs their judgment and lowers their awareness. It is a major cause of accidents in the state of Tennessee.
Undetectable
There are no objective tests that can prove when a person is experiencing a dangerous level of sleepiness when they choose to drive. Nothing can be administered at a crash scene that will identify the driver as guilty of drowsy driving. It is almost impossible to accurately determine if a car crash was caused by drowsiness. There are certain clues at a crash scene that could indicate if a person fell asleep while driving. This type of accident usually involves a vehicle where the driver is alone. The injuries involved are often very serious or fatal. An absence of skid marks, no evidence the driver took any type of evasive maneuvers are often indications of drowsy driving at crash scene.
Causes
There are a number of reasons a person could experience drowsy driving. It could result from fatigue, sleepiness, and drowsiness. This includes a loss of sleep, too little sleep, fragmented sleep, circadian factors and more. A person could also have an undiagnosed sleep disorder. They may have taken a sedating medication. Even consuming moderate amounts of alcohol when tired can result in drowsy driving.
Risk Factors
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as much as 32 percent of all fatal car crashes could have involved drowsy driving. Representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board believe the public needs to be more aware of the dangers associated with drowsy driving. There is no cultural stigma associated with people driving when they are excessively tired.
Dangers
There is a number of dangerous situations that can result from drowsy driving. It will cause a driver to have impaired vision, judgment as well as reaction time. They will have problems processing information in their short-term memory. They will have a decreased ability to be vigilant and perform well under difficult situations. Tired people also have higher levels of moodiness and more often behave aggressively.
Drowsy Drivers
Young drivers and especially men under the age of 26 are at risk for drowsy driving. It also could be new parents as well as people who work shifts at their job and accumulate over 60 hours a week or more. Shift workers can become drowsy drivers, but swing shift workers are even more likely. Long haul commercial truck drivers often drive sleep deprived. In many cases, it could be a business traveler that has gone past a number of time zones and is suffering from jet lag. There are also people with sleep disorders which are not treated or diagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea, as well as narcolepsy, can cause excessive and uncontrollable sleepiness.
Prevention
In order to avoid drowsy driving, a person should plan their trip and get enough sleep before starting it. It’s important to check if any current medications cause drowsiness. Do not have any alcohol when tired. Take regular rest stops. If feeling drowsy, a person should drink a caffeinated beverage or take a short nap. Should drowsiness continue, it’s time to find lodging and get some sleep.
