ABC’s Ron Claiborne puts himself to the test to see just how dangerous sleepy driving is. We all know how potentially dangerous texting and driving is but what most of fail to think about before we hit the wheel is, “Am I awake and alert enough to drive?” Courtesy of Drowsy Driving, data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that over 100,000 police-reported accidents are the direct result of fatigue each year. This results in an over 1,600 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.
What is Sleepy Driving?
Driver fatigue, AKA sleepy driving is defined as driving while you are tired or sleepy. This drowsy state, like alcohol intoxication, affects your ability to make decisions. It affects your reflexes, alertness, and ability to make timely decisions. As stated in the video, it is the second leading cause of fatal vehicle accidents. And like intoxication, it can be prevented as easily has getting adequate rest the night before or leaving extra time during the trip to stop and rest.
