Reasons for Drowsy Driving
Before you start focusing on why is drowsy driving dangerous, let’s focus on the factors that make drivers feel drowsy:1. Sleep Disorders
Some people have sleep disorders, which restrict and interrupt their sleep. As a result, they feel drowsy even when driving. If these disorders aren’t diagnosed and treated, they can induce daytime drowsiness too. For example, sleep apnea occurs when you get breathing pauses while sleeping.2. Medications
Many over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs cause prolonged grogginess. In some cases, the dietary supplements or multivitamins taken at night also lead to drowsiness. Hence, it’s best to ask your doctor if the medicines have any side effects. We have found that some medications are taken for blood pressure, muscle pain, and cough, leading to drowsiness.3. Sleeping Less than 6 Hours
The National Sleep Foundation has claimed that when people sleep less than 5 hours, they feel sleepy at odd hours. The ones sleeping only six hours a night are also expected to be involved in drowsy driving fates.4. Commercial Drivers
The risk of drowsy driving is higher among people who have a driving job. It is because they operate vehicles constantly, making them sleepy and tired. The commercial drivers operate heavy vehicles like tractor-trailers, buses, and tow trucks. Also, they drive for long hours and mostly have a night or rotating shifts. Hence, they have a greater possibility of drowsy driving. Moreover, the professionals with long working hours or tough jobs also face the same problem. The drowsy driving statistics show that doctors, nurses, and people in different roles also face similar sleeping issues. The increasing competitiveness and challenges have affected the routine life of people. As a result, the probability of drowsy driving is also increasing.Why is Drowsy Driving Dangerous?
How many times did you get late at night from a party or late-night dinner? Or maybe you were feeling lethargic when driving to work in the morning? Were you struggling to keep your eyes wide open while driving? Unfortunately, many of these things have become a part of routine life as they fail to identify the risks of driving this way. Even though it’s too risky to drive this way, these situations have become common. Driving while drowsy distracts the drivers, paying less attention to the road. Also, their response time is affected. Maybe they don’t see a speed breaker or a speed sign. They might also miss a traffic signal or a turning. All this poses a risk to the driver and others. Moreover, the drivers lose their knack to make the correct choices in such circumstances. They fail to judge the peril as they are incompetent to process information. It decreases their performance and motivation. All this has become a major reason for increasing accidents. These are more common in the morning and late at night. Some also say that early afternoon is also an uttermost phase for drowsiness. Most accidents occur when drivers avoid or stop the car on time.Drowsy Driving Statistics
Around 50% of drivers have admitted driving while being tired in America. Also, 20% have fallen asleep behind the wheel. Imagine how dangerous it is. Moreover, it has been reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that drowsy driving led to 100,000 car crashes in 2020. It also accounted for 1,500 deaths in the same year with 71,000 non-deadly damages. These figures are consistently increasing year on year. In comparison, drunk driving has resulted in 9,949 fatal crashes. The experts state that measuring the blood alcohol level is fairly easy. However, it’s challenging to assess sleep deprivation. Hence, the drivers don’t admit to feeling tired or sleepy while driving. As a result, these cases aren’t often reported. The reports further indicate that anyone can drive while sleepy without realizing why drowsy driving is dangerous. However, some are more prone to it. These include:- People take over-the-counter medication or certain prescribed drugs like antidepressants or pain relievers.
- Truck and delivery drivers.
- People with sleeping disorders like apnea.
- Individuals are working at odd hours.
- Business travelers.
- Individuals with a tough schedule.
Effects of Drowsy Driving
For decades, drowsy driving has been identified as one of the major reasons behind road accidents. Despite this, it hasn’t achieved much attention like drunk driving. Also, many countries have failed to set laws against drowsy driving. Recently, experts have been highlighting why is drowsy driving dangerous. In many countries, drowsy driving is underreported as drivers don’t accept dozing off. So, here are some common signs to look out for:- Repeated yawning
- Heavy eyelids
- Mental fogginess
- Unable to control the steering
- Missing traffic signals, exits, or road signs
- Off-track driving
Ways to Prevent Drowsy Driving
The alarming statistics have highlighted the need to find ways to prevent drowsy driving. Here are some ways that can help you prevent drowsy driving considering the effects of drowsy driving:- Sleep enough
- Embrace good sleeping habits
- Consult your physician
- Avoid unnecessary medications
- Avoid alcohol consumption
- Avoid driving late or alone
