Drowsy Driving: Facts and Tips to Drive Alert

When it comes to driver safety, it seems like a lot of the focus is put on drinking and driving or drugged driving. However, drowsy driving can be just as dangerous and something more focus should be put on. For today, we are going to share some drowsy driving facts that might surprise you, as well as some tips to help you drive more alert.

Drowsy Driving Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 697 deaths from drowsy-driving-related crashes in 2019. That is compared to 10,142 deaths from alcohol-impaired-related crashes in 2019. While that is a drastic difference, it is hard to measure deaths related specifically to drowsy driving. The Sleep Foundation stated that experts believe almost 6,000 fatalities take place a year due to drowsy driving, or 21% of fatal crashes.

The NHTSA estimates that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers. These crashes led to an estimated 50,000 people injured and nearly 800 deaths. But there is broad agreement across the traffic safety, sleep science, and public health communities that this is an underestimate of the impact of drowsy driving.

When Does It Happen?

Drowsiness can bring on crashes any time of the day or night. The NHTSA states there are three factors most commonly associated with drowsy-driving crashes. Those factors are:

1. Drowsy driving crashes tend to happen more frequently between midnight and 6 a.m. or even late in the afternoon. This is because people are experiencing dips in their circadian rhythm, which is our body's internal clock that regulates sleep.
2. Usually the crashes involve only a single driver with no passengers. They will run off the road at a high rate of speed and there is no evidence of braking.
3. Frequently occur on rural roads and highways.

Tips to Help You Avoid Driving Drowsy

To help you stay more alert while behind the wheel (and even in everyday life), follow along with some of these tips and tricks to avoid drowsy driving:

1. The only true way to help protect yourself against the risks of drowsy driving is to get an adequate amount of sleep on a daily basis. Experts urge everyone to make it a priority to get seven or eight hours of sleep per night.
2. If you are planning a long road trip, make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before.
3. We all know that teens do not get enough sleep, as they stay up way later then they should. This is a stage in their life when their biological need for sleep increases, so they are more vulnerable to the risk of drowsy driving. Make sure teens are well-rested before any long road trips.
4. Do not drink any alcohol before driving. Not only to avoid drinking and driving, but alcohol interacts with sleepiness and will increase drowsiness and impairment.
5. Make sure your prescription or over-the-counter medications don't cause drowsiness when taking them. If they do, use public transportation when possible or avoid taking the pills before road trips.
6. Try to avoid driving during the peak sleepiness periods (midnight - 6 a.m. and late afternoon). If you are driving during those time periods, stay alert and focus on any signs of drowsiness. If you see or feel them, pull over and take a break!

Coffee Is Not The Answer

While many people think drinking coffee or caffeine will help solve all your problems, that is not always the case. Drinking coffee or energy drinks alone might help you feel more alert, but it will only help for a short amount of time and you are probably not as alert as you think you are. If you are sleep-deprived and drink coffee, experts say you still may have "micro sleeps" or have brief losses of consciousness that can last four or five seconds!

A good option if you start to get sleepy while driving is to drink one or two cups of coffee and then pull over for a short 20-minute nap in a safe place. Experts say this has shown to increase alertness in scientific studies, but it will only help for a short period of time.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's training journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.