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As the holidays approach, many people find themselves making due on less sleep due to increased demands. Shopping, traveling, gatherings, end of year work and other events pop up at this time of year. Tiredness and fatigue can often affect your driving ability long before you even notice you’re getting tired and increase your risk of being involved in a crash.
Those most likely to drive while drowsy or fatigued are commercial truck drivers; late-night shift workers; parents taking care of young children; people with untreated sleep disorders; and young drivers, especially men under the age of 26. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conservatively estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. Furthermore, studies have shown that drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Like alcohol and drugs, sleepiness and fatigue can impair drivers by causing slower reaction times, vision impairment, judgement impairment, and delays in processing information. Consider this: If you are traveling at 65 mph and fall asleep behind the wheel, even for a few seconds, you could drive the length of a football field in an unconscious state.
Sleep is not a luxury; a good night’s sleep should be a regular part of one’s daily routine. Have you ever driven drowsy? Here are a few warnings signs that all drivers need to be aware of, as well as tips to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel.
Warning signs of sleepiness include:
Tips to remain alert and avoid falling asleep behind the wheel:
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