Drunk Driving Vs Drowsy Driving
How are they different?
They’re not!
Drowsy driving is a growing issue with drivers in the US, with an estimated 60% of Adults driving with less than 4 hours of sleep, and 0ne third of that actually falling asleep at the wheel. According to Drowsydriving.org people ages, 18-29 are more likely to drive while drowsy in comparison to other age groups. Men are more likely than women to drive while drowsy and are almost twice as likely as women to fall asleep while driving.
Sleep deprivation and fatigue make lapses of attention more likely to occur and may play a role in behavior that can lead to crashes attributed to other causes.Sleep deprivation is a sweeping epidemic in the US, causes more than 100,000 accidents and 1,550 casualties.
Both Drowsy and Drunk driving me it hard to pay attention to the road and negatively impact how you make fast decisions on the road. Being awake for 18 hours straight is like driving with a o.05 blood alcohol level, being awake for 24 hours simulates a 0.10 blood alcohol level. 0.8 is considered drunk.
When you are on the road it is important that you can recognize the signs that indicate that you are impaired because of exhaustion. Here are some indicators of Drowsy driving.
- bobbing of the head
- heavy lids
- drifting of your lane
- Inability to remember the most recent stretch of road
- Yawning Constantly
If you notice these symptoms you should pull over to the side of the road when it is safe to do so and take a 20 min nap. you can also stop and get some coffee to help you be more alert.
It is important to budget sleep into your time budget each day, rest it your bodies way to recover itself and rest the mind the next day. Depriving yourself of sleep over a long period of time will put yourself at and greater risk for heart disease and other illnesses. Sleep should not be an optional part of your day, make sure you get enough of it.