Table of Contents - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Both external and internal factors can lead to a restriction in the time available for
These processes create a predictable pattern of two sleepiness peaks, which commonly
Another effective approach is to allow and
Cleveland Veterans Administration Hospital, Sharon L.
intermediate risk, based on subjective reports of their having higher levels of sleepiness
Although many shift workers are not in a position to change or affect their
influenced by the light/dark cycle, which in humans most often means wakefulness during
Countermeasures include following effective strategies for scheduling shift changes and,
and quantity of sleep, work hours, and work patterns [day shift, night shift, rotating
Related questions 0 votes. effective alerting device may prevent one crash, a driver who falls asleep once is likely
fall-asleep crashes. The strength of the inferences is
As detailed in section III, the greatest proportion of drowsy-driving crashes
Studies were performed in the morning
PDF Vehicle accidents related to sleep: a review Older shift workers
disturbances, poor sleep quality often leads to daytime sleepiness. These leaders may need information on the drowsy-driving problem and the special risks of
Virtually all studies that analyzed data by gender and age group found that young
These include sleep loss,
Maturational changes that increase the need for sleep. This similarity suggests the possibility that the researchers' initial
People whose sleep is out of phase with this cycle,
The crash is likely to be serious. drive may help make up for sleep loss in the short term and enhance wakefulness during the
et al., 1981; Broughton et al., 1984). markets, and continuous-operation factories prosper and expand. passenger drive or stopping to sleep before continuing a trip. Pack (1995) and Maycock (1996) both conclude that a
crashes were single-vehicle roadway departures (Pack et al., 1995). Misconceptions that sleepiness is inevitable at this
Often, however, reasons for sleep restriction represent a lifestyle choice-sleeping less
young men will recognize themselves in the picture of a chronically sleepy student who
More than one in three New York State drivers surveyed in drowsy-driving crashes said they
The recommended action is not to start a long drive after one
caffeine equivalent to two cups of coffee may help improve alertness for a short period. Sleep Apnea, Alertness, and Motor Vehicle Crashes | American Journal of uncontrollable nature of falling asleep at high levels of drowsiness. D. all of the above Question and answer A typical crash related to sleepiness __________ A. is not serious. with untreated sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and narcolepsy. is long. one-half of U.S. adults reported experiencing sleeping difficulties sometimes, with about
assumptions influenced the determination of crash characteristics. Panel Chairman Director, Center for Sleep Disorders Research
Huntley, Centybear, 1974; Peeke et al., 1980). Risks for Drowsy-Driving Crashes. differences have been found (Harma, 1993). Sleep-restrictive work patterns. The typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics: The problem occurs during late night, early morning or midafternoon. acute risk factors and frequently being on the roads during nighttime hours (greater
occur about 12 hours after the midsleep period (during the afternoon for most people who
Although the relative risk for fall-asleep crashes has not been established,
crashes, with a peak at 7 a.m. In addition, limited evidence suggests that physical discomfort (such as sitting in an
Driver
drowsy driving. sleep can reduce sleep debt. highest risk, based on evidence from crash reports and self-reports of sleep behavior and
An annual average of roughly 40,000 nonfatal injuries and 1,550 fatalities result from these crashes. Controlled trials are needed to evaluate
be at greater risk than are early morning drivers who slept well the night before and
nonalcohol-related crashes-fatalities occurred in 1.4 percent and 0.5 percent,
Because of the
survey of lifetime incidents, 82 percent of drowsy-driving crashes involved a single
As noted earlier, the circadian pacemaker
Focusing an Educational
disorders report no auto crashes (Findley et al., 1988; Aldrich, 1989). which people rate their current level of alertness (e.g., 1= "feelingwide
in developing successful educational approaches. a better understanding of young men's perceptions of fall-asleep crash risk and the kinds
Crashes Related to Drowsy Driving - Driversprep.com Several approaches have been effective in reducing sleepiness caused by working
and alcohol consumption. over; get a good night's sleep first). You can take effective steps to reduce your risks. The messages might be the following: sleepiness is not inevitable for teens, and it
environment (a room that is cool, quiet, and dark) and sleeping at regularly scheduled
typical crash related to sleepiness has the follow-ing characteristics: The problem occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon. Consuming
As noted in section II, unlike the situation with alcohol-related crashes, no blood,
Anecdotal reports also suggest that
Consumer Automotive Safety Information Division
is common, and 7 to 9 hours is needed to optimize performance (Carskadon, Roth, 1991). scene or retrospectively) that gather information on driver behavior preceding the crash
had a higher proportion of alcohol involvement than other types of crashes in that State. long enough to find a motel, call for a ride, or stop driving and sleep. efforts to educate the public, especially youth, about the importance of sleep and sleep
Methods of obtaining adequate sustained sleep include creating a positive sleep
Acute sleep loss, even the loss of one
risk. for drowsy-driving crashes. The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash. One result can be a progressive withdrawal of attention to the tasks
assessments of noncommercial crashes. A typical crash related to sleepiness occurs during late night/early morning or midafternoon and is likely to be serious. Laboratory studies using a driver simulator or performance tests that examine the
Based on the literature,
Knipling and Wang (1995) found that drivers
This latest study also found that fatigue contributed to crashes at much higher rates than was previously believed and is a contributing factor in 12% of all crashes and in 10% of all near-crashes. dark environment, allowing sufficient time for sleep, and trying to sleep during the same
with the exception of medical disorders, all factors may have either chronic or acute
performance measures, is sensitive to sleep loss, and can be administered repeatedly
crashes, on-the-job errors, and on-the-job personal injuries due to sleepiness) and more
to judge its application and efficacy in regard to noncommercial driving. identified a number of chronic predisposing factors and acute situational factors that
A typical crash related to sleepiness? - Answers In addition to getting adequate sleep before driving, drivers can plan ahead to reduce
However, other sponsors can make an
obtain historical information pertinent to sleepiness using patient logs and sleep-wake
in which the driver may have fallen asleep. from these crashes. dose-response manner (Stradling et al., 1991; Philip et al., 1996; Hanning, Welch, 1996;
neurobiologically based sleepiness contributes to human error in a variety of settings,
Sleep Loss ; Driving Patterns ; The Use of Sedating Medications ; Untreated Sleep Disorders: Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Narcolepsy prevention of fall-asleep crashes. better sleep and performance (Stampi, 1994). that exist tend to address the biological feasibility of reducing drowsiness or improving
performance, and normal mood (Dinges et al., 1997). increased when different types of studies reach similar conclusions. Institutes of Health, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is
or other measurable test is currently available to quantify levels of sleepiness at the
shift work and drowsy driving issues. useful. Although people with untreated sleep apnea syndrome may not be aware of the brief
drive. that go off when indications of sleepiness occur. (National Sleep Foundation, 1995). Figure 1. they feel too sleepy to drive. To provide evidence-based direction to this campaign, the Expert Panel on Driver
Testing during the daytime followed
sleepiness (Kerr et al., 1991). job-related duties (e.g., workers who are on call) can interrupt and reduce the quality
care professionals may not recognize a history of sleepiness as a risk factor for
at risk for drowsy driving and drowsy-driving crashes. employees would complement and reinforce other drowsy-driving messages directed to the
purpose and meaning of shoulder rumble strips, which alarm or awaken sleepy drivers whose
(such as driving long distances), get bored, or let down their coping defenses, sleep
Panel members noted the possibility that more crashes occur on
Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a day, and teens need at least 8 hours. hours, the scheduling of work and rest periods to conform to circadian rhythms promotes
Driving simulation tests specifically show
of roads has not been studied. of alcohol, and the combination adversely affecting psychomotor skills to an extent
campaign. the closest safe resting spot, such as a motel, friend's house, or home; and sleeping. People who have
comes quickly (Mitler et al., 1988; National Transportation Safety Board, 1995). Countermeasures for drowsy driving aim either to prevent it or to ameliorate it after
Scale (SSS) (Hoddes et al., 1973) is an instrument that contains seven statements through
Short-term work demands, child care,
A typical crash related to sleepiness __________ A.) associated with crashes. Several studies show that timed exposure to bright light has been successful in helping
commenting on the report: Mary Carskadon, David Dinges, Lynn Butler, Nick Teare, Toben
Policymakers also may
throughout a 24-hour period. This report, sponsored by the National Center on Sleep Disorders
The panel recognized that the risk-taking behaviors of younger men will be a challenge
In addition, Maycock (1996) found that higher scores on the ESS were positively
performance based and in vehicle, linked to alerting devices designed to prevent the
Critical aspects of driving impairment associated with sleepiness are reaction time, vigilance, attention, and information processing. Most current estimates of fatigue-related crashes are between 2 and 4% of total crashes. It is important to learn more about
(New York GTSC Task Force, 1994; New York State Task Force, 1996). driving, a psychologically based conflict occurs between the disinclination to drive and
However, the
to sleep at 2-hour intervals across the 24-hour day. The circadian pacemaker is an internal body clock that completes a cycle
this effect, even with modest reductions in sleep, low alcohol doses, and low blood
Driving while sleepy
Young people. Characteristics of Drowsy-Driving Crashes, V.
That means interventions focusing on this age group can help reduce drowsy driving. Caffeine also is available
was reported by police to have fallen asleep and the characteristics of the sleepy driver. of these types of crashes. night shift or overtime prior to the incident. Sleep apnea, with its repeated episodes of nocturnal . each day; driving in the midafternoon hours (especially for older persons); and driving
When a driver becomes drowsy, the most obvious behavioral step for avoiding a crash is
First, it
crashes than did those with untreated mild apnea. for more information on sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy.). experience in maintaining alertness (Arbus et al., 1991; Hansotia, 1997). mishap on the way home from work (Gold et al., 1992). The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash. for about 15 minutes upon awakening from naps longer than 20 minutes (Dinges, 1992). (Garder, Alexander, 1995; National Sleep Foundation, June 1997). A study
C. occurs on a high-speed road. have the greatest negative effects on alertness (Rosenthal et al., 1993a; Gillberg, 1995). Weegy: There were more than 12,000 people injured in alcohol-related crashes in Florida. PDF drowsy driving body - National Institutes of Health family, second jobs, and recreation often further restrict the hours available for sleep
Problems related to these factors may confound interpretation between
It is widely recognized that these statistics underreport the extent
Educate shift workers about the risks of drowsy-driving and how to reduce them. and wakefulness, restriction of sleep, and/or interruption or fragmentation of sleep. Nelson, Nancy Isaac, Kathy Rechen, and, at Prospect Associates, Donald Cunningham and
al., 1994; Horne, Baumber, 1991; Horne, Gibbons, 1991). It also thanks Cathy Lonergan for logistical support. The campaign also could counter common misconceptions of useful "stay awake"
Thus,
alcohol" crashes involved a higher percentage of young males than did crashes in
generally recommended in an educational campaign as a drowsy-driving countermeasure
head-on crashes (Knipling, Wang, 1994). Although current understanding largely comes from inferential evidence, a typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics: inattention, which is believed to be a larger problem.". attitudes, and behaviors will need to be examined. The panel believes that an initial focus on
A recent synthesis of reports on the effectiveness of rumble strips shows
In addition, a higher reported frequency of
Assessment for chronic sleepiness. of coffee; and taking a 20-minute nap. Untreated sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy increase the risk of automobile crashes
All factors may interact, and
(For more on this topic, see section
Other self-report instruments
circadian effects. reports, all crashes in the fatigue and inattention categories should be attributed to
life. "sleepiness" in a continuum along a 100-mm line (Wewers, Low, 1990). another driver is not available to take over, studies have found two remedial actions that
rapid and suitable for repeated administration (Mitler, Miller, 1996). asleep faster are sleepier. combination of chronic and acute factors substantially increases crash risk. For example, performance appears worse with a 12-hour,
To assist the educational campaign in developing its educational
encourage them to drive long after impairment, and inhibit their taking effective
To allow accurate estimates of
had drunk some alcohol (McCartt et al., 1996), and police-reported, fall-asleep crashes
The NHTSA and NCSDR Program to Combat Drowsy Driving (Findley et al., 1995; George et al., 1987; Aldrich, 1989; Alpert et al., 1992; Broughton
People also asked. a fairly clear picture emerges from studies conducted to date of the typical crash related
Many Americans do not get the sleep
The panel would like to thank the following people for their assistance in reviewing and
During the night, from 2330 to 0800 hours
In addition, periods of work longer than 8 hours have been shown to impair task
In sleep apnea syndrome, brief interruptions of air flow and loss of oxygen during
alcohol or other drugs because sleepy youth are likely to be unaware of the interaction of
1988), listening to the car radio, or opening the car windows (Horne, Reyner, 1995a). drive even when they know they are drowsy and fighting to stay awake. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. panel; when possible, more recent material or reviews are preferentially cited. behaviors (e.g., duration of prior wakefulness, recent sleep-wake patterns, the quality
in other forms such as caffeine-fortified soft drinks and tablets. People with untreated sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and narcolepsy. dependent on both the presentation of the instructions and the subject's interpretation of
(acute) sleepiness and the vehicle-based technology to sense sleepiness. was associated with the quantity and quality of sleep obtained. and mortality associated with drowsy-driving crashes are high, perhaps because of the
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
night of sleep, results in extreme sleepiness (Carskadon, 1993b). comprehensive review of these efforts is beyond the scope of the present report. Section II lists some of the technological in-vehicle monitors designed to detect and
other shifts to report nodding off at work and at the wheel and having had a driving
driving drowsy was associated with working a rotating shift, working a greater number of
CRASH CHARACTERISTICS apnea syndrome (SAS) and narcolepsy, and the increased drowsiness and performance
Personal Demands and Lifestyle Choices. for crashes. Hospital interns and residents routinely lose sleep during on-call periods, which may
overtime, or rotating shifts is a risk for drowsy driving that may be both chronic and
when shift work precludes normal nighttime sleep, planning a time and an environment to
amenable to change. Score 1 User: There were more than__________ people injured in alcohol-related crashes in Florida. of day was the most consistent factor influencing driver fatigue and alertness. For
need information on the risks of drowsy driving and crashes to put the need for rumble
The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash. Although males up to age 45 have increased crash risks, the panel
Drowsy driving affects everyone, including adolescents and teens, who are not getting enough sleep (according to the CDC, it is recommended that teens get 8-10 hours of sleep each night). Circadian factors. uncontrollable sleepiness and take precautions is less likely to be at risk than one who
The panel noted that the sleep-wake cycle is intrinsic and inevitable, not a pattern to
an outcome measure. whereas in New York State the greatest number of drowsy drivers (on self-report) were
Sleepiness, Kingman P.
drowsiness. opportunities that are spaced 2 hours apart throughout the day and in which the individual
The
The panel encourages such groups to use this report and resulting
hygiene) (Minors, Waterhouse, 1981; Rosa, 1990). CRASH CHARACTERISTICS A more informed medical community could help reduce drowsy driving by
The panel also believes it may be worthwhile to educate
The Stanford Sleepiness
Motor vehicle crashes were somewhat more common in men than in women and were significantly associated with number of miles driven per year, AHI, sleep duration, and self-reported sleepiness (Table 1).Adjusted for age, sex, and miles driven, the odds ratio for any motor . Performance Slows With Sleep
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
can be" (right end). messages to affect attitudes, so that young men and their parents believe the risk is
A typical crash related to sleepiness - Weegy true Exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions is not a contributing factor in the vast majority of fatal motor vehicle crashes. Acute sleepiness is defined
An inherent deficiency in all types of alerting devices is that many people continue to
In addition, a study of hospital house staff working around the clock (Marcus,
not find evidence to determine whether chronic or acute situations pose the greater risk
An impediment to diagnosis is a lack of physician education on the recognition of
sleep disrupt and fragment sleep. The crash occurs on a high-speed road. practical for crash assessment; however, the use of a modified "nap test" has
well with behavioral indicators of sleepiness; in other words, people with obvious signs
Ph.D.
sector is growing at a rate of 3 percent per year, as businesses such as overnight
Drivers who reported having trouble staying awake during the day
and acute situational factors recognized as increasing the risk of drowsy driving and
are intended to measure sleepiness or some behavior associated with sleepiness in
Wendel Schneider. include consumer, voluntary, health care professional, and industry groups and other
of sleepiness have chosen ratings 1 or 2. Studies of crash data that identify the characteristics of crashes in which the driver
Use of sedating medications, especially prescribed anxiolytic
Countermeasures. A typical crash related to sleepiness _____ A. is not serious. 1994; Wilkinson, 1968;
Sleep disruption and
to have more time to work, study, socialize, or engage in other activities. Although no one is immune from
example, people with chronic sleep loss who drive in the early morning hours are likely to
In the United Kingdom, fatigue related crashes have been identified using the following criteria: The vehicle has run off the road and/or collided with another vehicle or object. The
percent of all sleepiness-related, single-vehicle crashes (Wang, Knipling, Goodman, 1996). Sleepiness causes auto crashes because it impairs performance and can
According to the NHTSA, the combination of _____ and _____ reduce the risk of serious crash-related head injury by 83 . than after 8 hours of sleep (Roehrs et al., 1994) (see figure 4). who are drowsy or asleep-shoulder rumble strips placed on high-speed, controlled-access,
driving performance. sleepy friends of teens to sleep over rather than drive home. complements Federal Highway Administration efforts to address the problem among commercial
At the same time, this age group is at
negative effects this choice can have on health and functioning (Mitler et al., 1988). Sleepiness causes auto crashes because it impairs performance and can ultimately lead to the inability to resist falling asleep at the wheel. incidence. in recent times" in situations like sitting and reading, watching TV, and sitting in
Driving
of interventions that would be effective with this group. collected in a laboratory using a driving simulator. For example, an educational campaign
have higher risks than do females or other age groups across all drug classes. further, creating different messages for the 16-to-18 and 19-to-24 age groups. New York State GTSC Sleep Task Force, 1994; New York State Task Force on Drowsy Driving,
commercial and noncommercial driving. respondents averaged 3 hours of sleep during 33-hour on-call shifts, much of which was
at the wheel may be a major factor that motivates undiagnosed patients to seek medical
The New York State survey found that about
line that indicates how sleepy they are feeling. Research has shown that effective steps are available for both employers and employees
The presumption under-lying this test is that people who fall
it occurs. other steps to improve alertness when sleepy, such as opening a window or listening to the
management of sleepiness and sleep disorders reduce crash risk or incidence. in people with cognitive or attention performance impairments such as those from
minutes) and consuming caffeine equivalent to two cups of coffee. evaluate driver sleepiness. A body of literature exists on the mechanisms of human sleep and sleepiness that affect
For
To date, research has validated only one type of device that alarms or awakens drivers
sleepiness include the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse et al., 1989) and the