fundamental work situation, they and their families may benefit from information on their
include (1) planning to get sufficient sleep, (2) not drinking even small amounts of
snoring to repeated breathing interruptions, also increases the likelihood of crashes in a
The time from onset of
of roads has not been studied. example, people with chronic sleep loss who drive in the early morning hours are likely to
C. occurs on a high-speed road. Only
continuity across a wide spectrum of prior sleep length and fragmentation. sleepiness to driving performance in people with medical disorders. The strength of the inferences is
was reported by police to have fallen asleep and the characteristics of the sleepy driver. electrophysiological measures of sleep, and there is interest in vehicle-based monitors. fall asleep, a process that is the result of both the circadian rhythm and the need to
and sleepiness for about an hour after consumption (Horne, Reyner, 1995a). Although no one is immune from
Economic pressures and the global economy place increased demands on many people to work
In the
Risks for crashes attributed to drowsy driving. The strips are useful
No definitive criteria are available for establishing how
alarm. The messages might be the following: sleepiness is not inevitable for teens, and it
driven over a rumble strip in the past could personalize the risk, and even seeing the
The crash is likely to be serious. and wakefulness, restriction of sleep, and/or interruption or fragmentation of sleep. road could be an attention-getting way to highlight the prevalence of chronic sleepiness
In a 1997
driver becomes sleepy, the key behavioral step is to stop driving-for example, letting a
typical crash related to sleepiness has the follow-ing characteristics: The problem occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon. The Sleep-Wake Cycle ; Sleepiness Impairs Performance ; The Causes of Sleepiness/Drowsy Driving ; Evaluating Sleepiness ; III. have the greatest negative effects on alertness (Rosenthal et al., 1993a; Gillberg, 1995). crashes were single-vehicle roadway departures (Pack et al., 1995). A
Pack (1995) and Maycock (1996) both conclude that a
People with narcolepsy are as likely to be
designed to provide direction to an NCSDR/NHTSA educational campaign to combat drowsy
Complementary educational messages to parents might
Rumble strips should not
encourage them to drive long after impairment, and inhibit their taking effective
Shift work also can disturb sleep by
suggest that they tell teenagers to call for a ride at any hour without recriminations if
As
Biology of Human Sleep and Sleepiness, III. of darkness. overtime, or rotating shifts is a risk for drowsy driving that may be both chronic and
sleepy a driver is or a threshold at which driver sleepiness affects safety. 1993). Performance Slows With Sleep
Another strategy is to avoid driving home from work while sleepy (e.g.,
such as night workers, air crews, and travelers who cross several time zones, can
Assessment for chronic sleepiness. panel did not find data linking such treatment to changes in rates of crashes or
Studies were performed in the morning
at-risk drivers who do not crash and about the impact of drowsiness on driving at all
Such measures are often promoted as "sleep hygiene" and make intuitive
The panel conducted a wide-ranging search for information on sleep, circadian rhythms,
To minimize disruption and help employees adjust to
There are some in-vehicle systems that
About 25 percent reported
a.m.; driving a substantial number of miles each year and/or a substantial number of hours
Sleep can be irresistible; recognition is emerging that
However, nappers are often groggy
Rumble strips
one-half of U.S. adults reported experiencing sleeping difficulties sometimes, with about
minutes) has been shown to improve subsequent performance, even among sleep-deprived
The panel identified three major categories in which more evidence is needed: Quantification of the problem. today to give sleep less priority than other activities, sleepiness and performance
circadian rhythm changes, employers should educate employees about the problem (Harma,
wakefulness, the more pressure builds for sleep and the more difficult it is to resist
Other driving time patterns that increase risk include driving a larger
At least one motor vehicle crash during the year prior to follow-up evaluation was reported by 6.9% of the 3201 participants. Vehicle-based tools. crashes, with a peak at 7 a.m. Currently, many people with these
NHTSA figures show that most drowsiness- or fatigue-related crashes occur on higher speed
Characteristics of Drowsy-Driving Crashes. in people with cognitive or attention performance impairments such as those from
Strictly speaking, fatigue is the consequence of physical labor or a prolonged
Although this evidence does not demonstrate a conclusive association between shift work
D. all of the above Question and answer A typical crash related to sleepiness __________ A. is not serious. loss are cumulative (Carskadon, Dement, 1981). age; young subjects (n = 8) were 19 to 23 years of age (Carskadon and Dement, 1987). near-miss crashes than did nurses on other schedules (Gold et al., 1992). Investigations have demonstrated that circadian phase disruptions caused by rotating
Among New York State
or near sleep, can overcome the best intentions to remain awake. The MSLT mea- sures the tendency to fall
Cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone ranging from slight weakness
among noncommercial drivers, to be sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety
comprehensive review of these efforts is beyond the scope of the present report. panel requested or was forwarded formal and informal reviews and monographs by Federal,
Micro-sleeps, or involuntary intrusions of sleep
regularly produces feelings of sleepiness during the afternoon and evening, even among
does not permit younger drivers to drive during late night hours (e.g., after midnight). usually get enough sleep. be at greater risk than are early morning drivers who slept well the night before and
in other forms such as caffeine-fortified soft drinks and tablets. 1994). alertness, rather than demonstrate an intervention that reduces drowsy-driving crashes. Juggling work and
When is A typical crash related to sleepiness is? - Answers All drivers who experience the chronic or acute situations described in section IV are
As discussed in section II, the loss of
and further disrupt the sleep schedule. To provide evidence-based direction to this campaign, the Expert Panel on Driver
crashes occur predominantly after midnight, with a smaller secondary peak in the
number of miles each year and a greater number of hours each day (McCartt et al., 1996)
panel found no studies evaluating other driver-reported steps such as talking to another
Individuals who fall asleep in 5 minutes or less are
on approaches that may reduce their risks. Anchors for
untreated patients, involuntary 10- to 20-minute naps are common at 2- to 3-hour intervals
of driving impairment associated with sleepiness are reaction time, vigilance, attention,
Deputy Director
to fatigue and inattention, and given the lack of objective tests or uniform reporting
Although males up to age 45 have increased crash risks, the panel
Director National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
In one study (Carskadon, 1990), boys with the greatest extracurricular time
naps and the need for secure rest areas. driving. and more of the chronic or acute factors that underlie risk for everyone. at risk for drowsy driving and drowsy-driving crashes. Hospital interns and residents routinely lose sleep during on-call periods, which may
disturbances such as noise, children, activity and lights, a restless spouse, or
obtain sufficient restorative sleep. For example, "asleep with
The risks are higher with higher drug doses and for
criteria that some researchers have used to define a crash as having been caused by
Office of Research and Traffic Records
before a crash (Wang, Knipling, Goodman, 1996). Department of Motor Vehicles State of New York, James Kiley,
The
An annual average of roughly 40,000 nonfatal injuries and 1,550 fatalities result from these crashes. Sleep is an active process, and adequate
even one night of sleep may cause extreme sleepiness. drowsiness peaking from late evening until dawn (Wylie et al., 1996). As noted earlier, the circadian pacemaker
at the wheel without crashing, for example, while stopped at a traffic light. there have been about 56,000 crashes annually in which driver drowsiness/fatigue was cited
Joy Mara of Joy R. Mara Communications for her assistance in the writing of this report. respondents to the New York State survey who reported drowsy-driving incidents cited a
Rumble strips act as an alarm clock, alerting drivers to the fact that they are too
also identifies preoccupation, distractions inside the vehicle, and other behaviors as
The scale correlates with standard
Some researchers have addressed the problem by analyzing
disorder of the sleep-wake mechanism that also causes excessive daytime sleepiness. and point out the risks and possible consequences of drowsy driving. negative effects this choice can have on health and functioning (Mitler et al., 1988). of the population with symptomatic sleep apnea (Strohl, Redline, 1996). The driver could see the point of run-off or the object hit prior to the crash. period when sleep is usual (Brown, 1994). Laboratory and epidemiological studies of drowsy-driving countermeasures.
Drowsy Driving - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The panel conducted
drive. people taking more than one sedating drug simultaneously (Ray et al., 1992). This
of specific behaviors that help avoid becoming drowsy while driving. experiences.
The NHTSA and NCSDR Program to Combat Drowsy Driving Studies of
serious and young men are vulnerable. In the New York State survey, nearly one-half the drowsy drivers who crashed (and
disorders report no auto crashes (Findley et al., 1988; Aldrich, 1989). driving; in this context, raise public and policymaker awareness about drowsy-driving
fragmented by frequent interruptions (Marcus, Loughlin, 1996). These leaders may need information on the drowsy-driving problem and the special risks of
Figure 4. educational opportunities to convey key drowsy-driving messages. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. performance based and in vehicle, linked to alerting devices designed to prevent the
Persons rate their current feelings by placing a mark on the
In response, Congress allocated funds for a public education campaign on drowsy driving
The crash is likely to be serious. to complete collapse, is another major symptom of narcolepsy that increases the risk of
(MSLT) (Carskadon et al., 1986; Carskadon, Dement, 1987) and the Maintenance of
Untreated sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy increase the risk of automobile crashes
That means interventions focusing on this age group can help reduce drowsy driving. National Institutes of Health, Roger Kurrus
Study guides. higher for those with untreated SAS (Aldrich, 1989). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institutes of Health. five men (20.2 percent) and almost one in six women (15 percent) work other than a daytime
Director
shift work are associated with lapses of attention, increased reaction time, and decreased
give drivers a false sense of security about driving while sleepy. the panel found in any category that has a demonstrated effect on crashes. following brief discussion, some tools for the assessment of sleepiness are described to
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
The Karolinska Sleep Diary (kerstedt et al., 1994) contains questions relating to
performance, and normal mood (Dinges et al., 1997). (based on a 24-hour clock), subjects were awakened every 2 hours for 15 minutes, and
hours each day. addition, sleepiness is identifiable, predictable, and preventable. passenger drive or stopping to sleep before continuing a trip. sleepiness decreases performance and increases risk, even at low levels of alcohol use. inattention, which is believed to be a larger problem.". psychophysiologic, and crash-prevention domains. impairment are neurobiological responses of the human brain to sleep deprivation. that they reduce drive-off-the-road crashes by 30 to 50 percent-the only countermeasure
In a driving simulation study, alcohol levels below the legal
with the exception of medical disorders, all factors may have either chronic or acute
NCSDR/NHTSA
distance in millimeters from one end of the scale to the mark placed on the line. asleep faster are sleepier.
Table of Contents - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration However, unlike the situation with alcohol-related crashes, no blood, breath, or other measurable test is currently available to quantify levels of sleepiness at the crash site. greater than that of sleepiness or alcohol alone (Roehrs et al. time or miles (exposure), the use of sedating medication, sleep disorders such as sleep
true Focus group research is needed to develop
Senior Research Psychologist
each day; driving in the midafternoon hours (especially for older persons); and driving
literature upon which the major concepts or opinions of the panel report are based. Annual averages of roughly 40,000 nonfatal injuries and 1,550 fatalities result
al., 1994; Horne, Baumber, 1991; Horne, Gibbons, 1991). For example,
1996). Certainly, sleepiness can contribute
restricting sleep by 1 or 2 hours a night can lead to chronic sleepiness. Key message points include the
can be" (right end). In addition, periods of work longer than 8 hours have been shown to impair task
night. sleepiness. These data from Roehrs et al. and driving is no exception (kerstedt, 1995a, 1995b; Dinges, 1995; Horne, 1988;
However, this is not just a reporting problem;
a car that is stopped for traffic. (such as driving long distances), get bored, or let down their coping defenses, sleep
performance and increase crashes. 1995). or sleepiness, the patterns became more pronounced. reduce lifestyle- related risks. Focusing an Educational
shift, including evening, night, rotating, split, and irregular shifts (Kessler, 1992). Although treatment can improve
The driver is alone in . The problem occurs during late-night hours. External factors, some beyond the individual's control, include work hours, job and
A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for sleepiness permits the subjects to rate their
driving performance. The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash. include consumer, voluntary, health care professional, and industry groups and other
In North Carolina, males were found to be at the wheel
fatigue-related accidents was one of its most wanted transportation safety improvements for 2016. hours of sleep per 24 hours as compared with day workers. normal. The VAS
Additional information and research are
Sleepiness causes auto crashes because it impairs performance and can ultimately lead to the inability to resist falling asleep at the wheel. Educate shift workers about the risks of drowsy driving and how to
association of these topics with driving risk and crash prevention. from these crashes. (National Sleep Foundation Survey, 1997; American Thoracic Society, 1994). It is possible that the effects of low levels of blood alcohol may have an interaction
D. all of the above Weegy: A typical crash related to sleepiness involves multiple vehicles on the roadway. Graduated driver-licensing programs that
targeted only the younger group to enable specific tailoring of educational messages to
specially trained personnel and are not valid if the individual being tested is ill or in
Countermeasures for drowsy driving aim either to prevent it or to ameliorate it after
other shifts to report nodding off at work and at the wheel and having had a driving
although caffeine content of coffee varies widely (Fox, 1993). characteristics similar to those cited above regarding driver age, time of day, crash
and alcohol consumption. influenced by the light/dark cycle, which in humans most often means wakefulness during
Some, but not all,
In the New York State survey, the reported frequency of drowsy driving in the past year
Although evidence is limited or inferential, chronic predisposing factors
collected in a laboratory using a driving simulator. Both assume standardization of procedures involving
concern that alerting devices may in fact give drivers a false sense of security,
Self-reports from drivers involved in crashes (with data collected either at the crash
is long. Shift workers who completed a 4-month
Wendel Schneider. highest risk, based on evidence from crash reports and self-reports of sleep behavior and
(Garder, Alexander, 1995; National Sleep Foundation, June 1997). In
reducing risk in this population. In some situations, the scale does not appear to correlate
In the MWT, individuals are instructed to remain awake, and the time it takes (if
pastimes often leave little time left over for sleeping. In lieu of an objective measure is instructed to try to fall asleep. Helpful behaviors
The Stanford Sleepiness
public was deemed "significantly" sleepy on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS),
The effectiveness of any
daylight and sleep during darkness. as a need for sleep that is present at a particular point in time. Laboratory and some field studies suggest that most
It also thanks Cathy Lonergan for logistical support. restriction and sleepiness may also combine this lifestyle pattern with situational acute
For
many of which are appropriate for all public audiences: Sleepiness is a serious risk for young male drivers. risk for excessive sleepiness because of the following: The panel felt that vulnerability may be further increased when young people use
The effects of sleep
facilitate napping for night shift workers (Dinges, 1992; Naitoh, 1992). near-miss accident while driving home from night work (Novak, Auvil-Novak, 1996). defining risk factors and high-risk groups than the data on sleepiness or drowsiness. Messages to the general public can explain the following: What rumble strips are and why they are increasingly being used. sense; however, few rigorous studies support all sleep hygiene claims. A single vehicle leaves the roadway. Assessment for acute sleepiness. campaign. Research has shown that effective steps are available for both employers and employees
colleagues' study (1995), 20 was the peak age of occurrence of drowsy-driving crashes,
Drowsy-driving crashes: Occur most frequently between midnight and 6 a.m., or in the late afternoon. In driving simulators,
the closest safe resting spot, such as a motel, friend's house, or home; and sleeping. Section II lists some of the technological in-vehicle monitors designed to detect and
No measures
Get enough sleep! In the 1996 appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Senate
Studies of crash data that identify the characteristics of crashes in which the driver
The morbidity
evaluate driver sleepiness. associated with crashes. or A typical crash related to sleepiness occurs on a high-speed road. Although
whereas a rating of 15 or greater indicates severe sleepiness. Then the driver should get off the road (e.g., at a
PDF drowsy driving body hours, the scheduling of work and rest periods to conform to circadian rhythms promotes
(See section V
The crash occurs on a high-speed road. Critical aspects of driving impairment associated with sleepiness are reaction time, vigilance, attention, and information processing. drift (Dinges, 1995). Although alcohol and some medications can independently induce sleepiness, the primary
neurobiologically based sleepiness contributes to human error in a variety of settings,
were more likely to report having sometimes or very often driven drowsy (McCartt et al.,
not available. The crash occurs on a high-speed road. Laboratory studies using a driver simulator or other fundamental tests that relate the
Many also were unlikely to use a rest area when they were driving alone at
In all these attempts to measure subjective sleepiness, a person's response is
caffeine equivalent to two cups of coffee may help improve alertness for a short period. incidence. Nurses working the night shift reported using white noise, telephone answering
Scale (SSS) (Hoddes et al., 1973) is an instrument that contains seven statements through
North Carolina, more of these crashes resulted in injury compared with other,
1 in 10 saying the difficulties are frequent (National Sleep Foundation, 1995). driver at the scene of a crash.
A typical crash related to sleepiness - Weegy Laboratory studies explain and predict these patterns. B. involves multiple vehicles on the roadway. see sleep as a luxury. Some of these devices contain alarms or other alerting devices
Drivers ages 45 through 65 have fewer nighttime
Risks. instead of sleep, and work hours and demands are a major cause of sleep loss. 5 hours per night for 1 week needed two full nights of sleep to recover vigilance,
A study
The ESS has been used in research on driver sleepiness and in correlations of
The crash is likely to be serious. in recent times" in situations like sitting and reading, watching TV, and sitting in
methodological detail, outcome measures, and other variables, all of which precluded a
PDF Drowsy Driving and Automobile Crashes: Report and Recommendations Division Chief,
But, in addition, when alcohol involvement was combined with fatigue
dependent on both the presentation of the instructions and the subject's interpretation of
However, other medical disorders causing disturbed sleep and
found that short naps every 6 hours during a 35-hour (otherwise sleepless) period was
According to the NHTSA, the combination of _____ and _____ reduce the risk of serious crash-related head injury by 83 . motel or rest stop) as soon as possible and sleep. Use of sedating medications, especially prescribed anxiolytic
Other causes are eliminated e.g. A measuring system would be
The panel also believes it may be worthwhile to educate
The key to safety is what the driver does after hearing the
Although current understanding largely comes from inferential evidence, a typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics: People whose sleep is out of phase with this cycle,
In addition, the
and tested; ultimately, the impact of such approaches on drowsy-driving knowledge,
following: Shift work may increase the risk of drowsy-driving crashes. patients (Broughton et al., 1981; Haraldsson et al., 1995). care professionals may not recognize a history of sleepiness as a risk factor for
Sleep Apnea, Alertness, and Motor Vehicle Crashes | American Journal of Critical aspects of driving impairment associated with sleepiness are reaction time, vigilance, attention, and information processing. Untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders, especially sleep
complexity of the issues involved (Rosekind et al., 1995), a combination of alertness
Wakefulness Test (MWT) (Mitler et al., 1982). steps include planning sleep and naps before long trips, scheduling trips to avoid
laboratory and in-vehicle studies include: Often, people use physical activity and dietary stimulants to cope with sleep loss,
Personal Demands and Lifestyle Choices. which people rate their current level of alertness (e.g., 1= "feelingwide
Napping has the greatest effect on performance several hours after the nap (Dinges
The panel thought that the use of these medical tests may not be
Narcolepsy is a
Weegy: A typical crash related to sleepiness occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon and is likely to be serious.