Individuals who drive while drowsy increase the risk of causing serious car accident injuries.
In fact, the risk of an accident from drowsy driving is comparable to driving under the influence of alcohol. It is not just truck drivers, sales people, or even parents who are chauffeuring children from place to place that are affected by the lack of sleep. Teen drivers also get behind the wheel when they are tired. In fact, teen drowsy driving is the largest cause of teen deaths in our country. Sadly, statistics show that one in five fatal car accidents involves a drowsy driver between the ages of 16 – 24.
American Auto Association’s (AAA), Dr. Nathan Walker, president elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) warns that drowsy driving, along with distracted driving or drunk driving is deadly but preventable. Driving while drowsy compromises alertness, reaction times, and decision making. In addition, it affects a child’s ability to study, their overall health, and their athletic abilities. Parents need to be aware of how much sleep their teens are getting. Parents can also help their teen drivers avoid drowsy driving by modeling healthy sleep habits and restricting their teen’s screen time on smartphones and tablets.
The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project is promoting a new campaign called “Awake at the Wheel.” The project seeks to raise awareness about the safety hazards for teens who drive while drowsy. The message is simple; teens need nine hours of sleep per night to drive at the most optimum alertness. The hope is to get a conversation started between teens and their parents about the dangers of driving while drowsy that is often caused by a late night playing video games or texting friends. Of greater importance is to make teens aware of the signs of drowsy driving so they can avoid serious car accidents by pulling over to the side of the road and discontinue driving.
Signs of Drowsy Driving Parents should Share with their Teens
Repetitive yawning or an inability to keep your eyes open.
You catch yourself “nodding off” and have trouble keeping your head up.
Failure to remember driving the last few miles.
Tailgating or following other cars too closely.
Missing road signs or driving past your turn or exit.
Drifting into the other lane of traffic, onto the “rumble strip” or the shoulder of the road.
