FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, March 11, 2011

Officials from various State agencies and organizations concerned with traffic safety are reminding motorists of the dangers of drowsy driving. The annual public education and awareness campaign is timed to coincide with the beginning of Daylight Savings Time which begins on Sunday, March 13.

Organizations supporting the campaign include the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), along with other members of the New York State Partnership Against Drowsy Driving (NYPDD) including: the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles; the New York State Department of Health; the New York State Thruway Authority; the New York State Police; the New York State Motor Truck Association; the New York State Association of Traffic Safety Boards; AAA Hudson Valley; the New York State Movers and Warehousemen's Association; and the New York State Department of Transportation.

According to Department of Motor Vehicles Executive Deputy Commissioner J. David Sampson, "Recent studies show that driving while drowsy is a much more pervasive problem on our highways than we previously thought and is a contributing factor in thousands of preventable motor vehicle crashes each year."

According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2011 Sleep in America® poll, 43 percent of Americans ages 13 to 64 say they rarely or never get a good night's sleep on weeknights, while more than half 60 percent say that they experience a sleep problem every night or almost every night. Also, according to the poll, about two-thirds 63 percent of Americans say they do not get enough sleep during the week.

The poll found that 95 percent of Americans use some type of electronics, such as a television, computer, video game or cell phone, at least a few nights a week within an hour of bedtime. Medical studies have shown that exposure to the artificial light created by such devices between dusk and bedtime suppresses the release of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, increases alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour, making it more difficult to fall asleep.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in an estimated 1,550 deaths and 40,000 injuries. In 2009, there were more than 1,000 motor vehicle crashes in New York State in which fatigue/drowsiness was listed as a contributing factor and more than 3,000 that involved a driver falling asleep at the wheel. However, NHTSA still considers drowsy driving to be underreported.

Drivers facing the highest risk for crashes due to drowsy driving include: commercial truck drivers; late-night shift workers; parents taking care of young children; people with untreated sleep disorders; and young drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of young people ages 16-24 and fatigue is a common contributing factor. Studies show that 36 percent of teens drive drowsy on a regular basis and, out of all of the crashes caused by fatigue, 55 percent involve drivers under the age of 25.

Motorists are reminded to be alert to the warning signs of drowsy driving. They include difficulty in keeping one's eyes open, repeated yawning, wandering or disconnected thoughts, drifting from the driving lane and failure to remember the last few miles driven.

Motorists should get adequate sleep before driving and take breaks about every 100 miles or two hours on long trips. On long trips, drivers should bring a passenger to help them stay awake and share the driving responsibilities. Motorists should never drink alcohol before driving and drivers should always be aware of the potential side effects of any medications they are taking as some cause drowsiness.

Common strategies for combating fatigue by drivers including: opening a window, turning on air conditioning or playing loud music, are not effective and caffeine offers only a short-term increase in driver alertness. When a driver experiences drowsiness, the safest alternative is to pull over to rest or sleep for the night.

Driver safety tips and information are available by visiting the DMV's Web site (www.dmv.ny.gov) or the GTSC Web site (www.safeny.ny.gov).