Driver Fatigue -- An Often Overlooked Safety Risk

Drivers often feel as though they can do anything behind the wheel, like theres a certain victory about being able to drive for great lengths of time without rest. A new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests, however, that drowsy driving is a safety risk possessing a seriousness we often overlook. Sleep is a neurobiologic need and has a predictable cycle. The feeling of being sleepy arises from interrupting or shortening the sleep cycle. Missing a nights sleep, or even just shortening your sleep by an hour or so, can lead to chronic sleepiness; chronic sleepiness can seem like a negligible thing, but it inhibits a drivers reaction time, vigilance, attention, and information processing, according to the NHTSA. Most of the evidence or warning signs that indicate a driver might be too sleepy to operate a vehicle are inferential which means a driver should reason when he or she cannot operate a vehicle. Some typical warning signs include

sleep loss; driving patterns, such as driving at night or driving for long distances or periods of time; use of sedating medications; untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders; and consumption of alcohol (even if you dont consider yourself drunk).

Though no person is immune to the affects of driver fatigue, some people are more at-risk than others to wreck their car because they are tired. Populations most likely to encounter drowsydriving situations include

young drivers, those between 16 and 24 years old, especially males; shift workers whose hours are irregular or who work at night; and people with undiagnosed sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), narcolepsy, or similar conditions.

The NHTSA recommends educating young drivers and shift workers so they can attempt to change lifestylerelated factors that lead to drowsy driving. Additionally, the administration supports rumble strips on the shoulders of the roads and public information campaigns.

Have You Had Too Little to Sleep?

Though there isnt a score sheet to identify someone who is too sleepy to drive, sleepdex.org has identified several signs that someone mightve had too little sleep to be operating a vehicle:

frequent yawning, which is a warning sign that your body is tired; missing road signs or traffic signals; unintentionally tailgating the vehicle in front of you; remembering increasingly fewer details about your trip, only that you are driving; wandering thoughts; losing control of the car even slightly; and increased blinking (as your mind starts to force your body to sleep).

The NHTSA panel investigating drowsy driving notes that it is impossible for drivers to ignore their sleep cycles. Deterioration of a persons physical abilities is an inevitable result of sleepiness, and theres not much to do about it except go to sleep. Training, occupation, education, motivation, skill-level, and intelligence exert no influence on the need for sleep. Micro-sleeps, or involuntary intrusions of sleep or near sleep, can overcome the best intentions to remain awake, according to the report. Energy drinks, coffee, and stay-awake pills also do little to mask sleeplessness behind the wheel. Often, physical activity and stimulants are a quick fix, but they become decidedly less-effective when the sleepy person is made to sit still, perform repetitive tasks, get bored, or let down their coping defenses. These factors are very similar to the environment behind the wheel.

Characteristics of Drowsy-Driving Crashes

No matter how you define your sleepiness, the anatomy of a vehicle crash remains largely the same. As with the symptoms and causes of drowsy driving, the characteristics of a crash caused by a sleepy driver are often inferential. Different types of studies have reached similar conclusions, which strengthen the profile for a drowsy-driving crash.

The crash typically occurs late at night on a high-speed road. Researchers believe there is a correlation between sleeplessness-related crashes and high-speed roadways because of the number of long-distance drivers on such highways. Traveling at a higher speed also reduces a drivers reaction time. One car leaves the highway. Drowsy-driving crashes typically involve only one car and that car tends to leave the highway, according to an analysis of North Carolina police reports. The crash causes serious injuries or death. Drowsy-driving crashes have a higher rate of injury or death than another other type of vehicle crashes, except those involving alcohol. The driver is alone in the vehicle. A 1996 survey found that 82 percent of drowsydriving crashes involved a single occupant. Survey respondents who admitted to falling asleep while driving without crashing reported having a passenger with them. The driver doesnt attempt to avoid crashing. Crash data and anecdotal reports suggest that sleepy drivers are less-able to attempt to correct their driving errors before crashing. Some crash observations suggest that evidence of corrective maneuvers such as brake lights are absent during fall-asleep crashes.

Drowsy-driving is a dangerous proposition for drivers and their passengers, as well as everyone else on the road. Because only inferential evidence is available, it is incumbent upon the driver to know when he or she is too tired to drive. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a car accident caused by driver fatigue, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. These articles are provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Professional legal counsel should be sought for specific advice relevant to your circumstances.