Steve Serrette - Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Safety Office
Most people are well-aware of the danger posed by drunk drivers, but tired drivers may be an even more dangerous problem on the road. A tired driver’s response times and accuracy may be more impaired than someone who has had a few drinks.
Researchers studied 39 subjects from the transportation industry and the Army. They measured response times and accuracy of subjects after being sleep deprived for up to 28 hours and also after consuming alcohol up to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1 percent, which is the limit in most states to be considered “intoxicated.”
After 17 to 19 hours without sleep, performance on some tests was equivalent or worse than that at a BAC of 0.05 percent, which is the limit in most states for being considered “ability impaired.” To go 17 hours without sleep may sound like a lot until you consider that if you wake up at 6 a.m., you will be up 17 hours by 11 p.m. Taking into account that many people often go out late at night to movies, bars or dancing, they could easily be up well over 19 hours, not to mention the fact that they may have had a few alcoholic drinks as well. Add to this the fact that many medications, even non-prescription ones, can cause drowsiness.
Results of the National Sleep Foundation’s 2005 “Sleep in America” poll show that 60 percent of drivers report that they have driven a vehicle while drowsy and 37 percent report they have actually fallen asleep at the wheel.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 100,000 police-reported crashes each year are the direct result of driver fatigue.
Statistics like these translate to an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in financial losses. Most safety officials claim these results may be low because of the difficulties in attributing automobile accidents to sleepiness. The research revealed that being awake for 18 hours resulted in impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration of .05 and .10 after 24 hours — in the United States, .08 is considered legally drunk.
According to the NSF, sleep related crashes are most common in young people, especially men, adults with children and shift workers. In America, 71 percent of adults drive a car to and from work and most admit to driving when tired. Sleep-impaired summertime long-distance driving or motorcycling is another culprit that takes the lives of many Air Force family members.
Avoiding falling asleep while driving
Caffeine, stimulants and other tricks may revive a driver temporarily, but these things are not reliable and do not work for long periods of time. Instead, the best solution to driver fatigue is to avoid being tired.
Some tips drivers can use to make sure they are alert enough for a long-distance or nighttime drive include:
• No sleep debt: Before a long or nighttime drive, drivers should be sure that they have had several nights (in a row) of quality sleep and rest. Plan on setting aside this time before leaving.
• Take breaks: Taking a break during a drive will allow drivers to stretch, move and wake up. Plan for breaks and even a quick 20-minute nap.
• Arrive by midnight: The time between midnight and early morning is when a person’s body is most inclined to sleep. This is the most dangerous time to be driving.
• Know the warning signs: Drivers who yawn constantly, can’t remember the last few moments of driving or cannot keep their eyes focused should pull over and take a quick nap.
What not to do
Many people think that opening the window, playing loud music or talking on the phone will help them stay awake. These are, in fact, dangerous things to do because:
— They distract from driving at a time when drivers need to concentrate.
— They give a false sense of security and keep people on the road when they should stop.
Instead of using tricks to stay awake, pull over and take a quick nap. Your friends and loved ones would prefer you arrive safely a few hours late, than not at all.
