Score 1 self-reports of the quality of sleep. Individuals who fall asleep in 5 minutes or less are
timeframe or sleep/work patterns. following brief discussion, some tools for the assessment of sleepiness are described to
Score .9915 User: The effect that an emotion has on your ability to drive depends upon the . For example, those who
typical crash related to sleepiness has the follow-ing characteristics: The problem occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon. drowsiness was markedly greater during night driving than during daytime driving, with
who are drowsy or asleep-shoulder rumble strips placed on high-speed, controlled-access,
common causes of acute sleep loss. Common characteristics of crashes related to drowsy driving and sleepiness. to sleepiness. need information on the risks of drowsy driving and crashes to put the need for rumble
(See section V
specially trained personnel and are not valid if the individual being tested is ill or in
Retrospective studies that compare crash histories of drivers with sleep disorders with
this population's needs and preferences. vehicles are going off the road. Although treatment can improve
Although the relative risk for fall-asleep crashes has not been established,
The resulting report outlines the following: In addition to summarizing what is known-and what remains unknown-from sleep and
message that rumble strips are designed to arouse sleepy drivers before they drive off the
the panel found in any category that has a demonstrated effect on crashes. associated with crashes. Countermeasures include following effective strategies for scheduling shift changes and,
You can take effective steps to reduce your risks. The panel encourages such groups to use this report and resulting
over-representation in crash statistics and because many of their lifestyle risks are
Training, occupation, education, motivation, skill level, and intelligence exert no
not find evidence to determine whether chronic or acute situations pose the greater risk
driving limit produced a greater number of deviations from the road after 4 hours of sleep
important contribution by disseminating messages to high-risk audiences, intermediaries,
Drivers ages 45 through 65 have fewer nighttime
An ideal measure of sleepiness would be a physiologically based screening tool that is
or sleepiness, the patterns became more pronounced. The scale correlates with standard
subjective sleep measures in this scale show strong covariation and relation to sleep
requirements, which hinder quantification. et al., 1981; Broughton et al., 1984). The proportion of crashes is
Rotating shifts (working four or more day or evening shifts and four night
NHTSA figures show that most drowsiness- or fatigue-related crashes occur on higher speed
Such measures are often promoted as "sleep hygiene" and make intuitive
instead of sleep, and work hours and demands are a major cause of sleep loss. is not okay to drive when you are sleepy. 1994). highway safety research, the report also presents the panel's recommendations for the
methodological detail, outcome measures, and other variables, all of which precluded a
Knipling and Wang (1995) found that drivers
However, other medical disorders causing disturbed sleep and
Although the need for sleep varies among individuals, sleeping 8 hours per 24-hour period
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. midafternoon peaks are consistent with human circadian sleepiness patterns. Focusing an Educational
literature upon which the major concepts or opinions of the panel report are based. are unharmed in a crash, hyperarousal following the crash usually eliminates any residual
sleep loss. New York State GTSC Sleep Task Force, 1994; New York State Task Force on Drowsy Driving,
Night shift workers typically get 1.5 fewer
1988), listening to the car radio, or opening the car windows (Horne, Reyner, 1995a). that risk is highest soon after the drug regimen is initiated and falls to near normal
The New York State survey found that about
people taking more than one sedating drug simultaneously (Ray et al., 1992). et al., 1987; Dinges, 1992, 1995). Some researchers have addressed the problem by analyzing
type, and severity. example, people with chronic sleep loss who drive in the early morning hours are likely to
1 in 10 saying the difficulties are frequent (National Sleep Foundation, 1995). are not invariably linked with impaired driving. For example, capturing information on drivers' precrash
Among New York State
Studies based on driver self-reports: Maycock, 1996; McCartt et al., 1996). Being awakened by driving over a rumble strip is a warning to change sleep and driving
sleepiness and alcohol interact, with sleep restriction exacerbating the sedating effects
and more of the chronic or acute factors that underlie risk for everyone. Caffeine also is available
The panel would like to thank the following people for their assistance in reviewing and
However, nappers are often groggy
One in four respondents who reported sleeping difficulties in a
1996). Population Groups at Highest Risk, VII. behaviors for safety. after night work and early night sleep before morning work (e.g., going to sleep at 7 or 8
At least one motor vehicle crash during the year prior to follow-up evaluation was reported by 6.9% of the 3201 participants. Although current understanding largely comes from inferential evidence, a
Changes in sleep patterns that reduce nighttime sleep or lead to circadian disruptions. incidence. In another alcohol strategy variation, parents might allow
critical to safe driving (Dinges, Kribbs, 1991). Driving while acutely tired, such as after a night shift, also increases the risk of
routinely get less sleep and lower quality sleep than do day workers. five men (20.2 percent) and almost one in six women (15 percent) work other than a daytime
Additional information and research are
Special Assistant to Executive Deputy Commissioner
The condition also is associated with loud, chronic
In one study (Carskadon, 1990), boys with the greatest extracurricular time
Biology of Human Sleep and Sleepiness, III. alert) (Regina et al., 1974; Lumley et al., 1987; Griffiths et al., 1990; Lorist et al.,
For example, many people with these
Many researchers have shown that
vehicle drivers (Federal Register, 1996). or A typical crash related to sleepiness occurs on a high-speed road. drowsy driving. radio, has not been demonstrated. driver from falling asleep. In addition, periods of work longer than 8 hours have been shown to impair task
performance (Dinges et al., 1987; Hamilton et al., 1972; Williams et al., 1959). Sleep is determined by predefined brain wave
driving; in this context, raise public and policymaker awareness about drowsy-driving
Sleepiness, Kingman P.
In the
In the more recent surveys and reporting of
crash risk (Redelmeier, Tibshirani, 1997). are a natural period of sleepiness. Currently, States use different definitions and have varying reporting
shift workers in both the natural environment and the laboratory have shown that day sleep
higher for those with untreated SAS (Aldrich, 1989). Many drowsy-driving crashes occur at this time. hours per week, and more frequently driving for one's job (McCartt et al., 1996). with the exception of medical disorders, all factors may have either chronic or acute
disorders report no auto crashes (Findley et al., 1988; Aldrich, 1989). high-speed roads because more long-distance nighttime driving occurs on highways. scene or retrospectively) that gather information on driver behavior preceding the crash
were more likely to report having sometimes or very often driven drowsy (McCartt et al.,
restriction and sleep fragmentation. have the greatest negative effects on alertness (Rosenthal et al., 1993a; Gillberg, 1995). in other forms such as caffeine-fortified soft drinks and tablets. In
Although
Contemporary society functions 24 hours a day. risks and how to reduce them. performance based and in vehicle, linked to alerting devices designed to prevent the
The circadian pacemaker is an internal body clock that completes a cycle
For
targeted only the younger group to enable specific tailoring of educational messages to
of coffee; and taking a 20-minute nap. Countermeasures for drowsy driving aim either to prevent it or to ameliorate it after
Two other proven interventions avoid known problem
A few
(Findley et al., 1995; George et al., 1987; Aldrich, 1989; Alpert et al., 1992; Broughton
purpose and meaning of shoulder rumble strips, which alarm or awaken sleepy drivers whose
age; young subjects (n = 8) were 19 to 23 years of age (Carskadon and Dement, 1987). crashes each year. Drowsy driving is a serious problem that leads to thousands of automobile
fall asleep, a process that is the result of both the circadian rhythm and the need to
It is important to learn more about
ever) in 20 minutes to fall asleep by brain wave criteria is the measure of sleepiness. focused on the prevention of inattention and fatigue; traffic crash forms did not have a
masking their level of sleepiness. Huntley, Centybear, 1974; Peeke et al., 1980). Taking a break for a short nap (about 15 to 20
Another strategy is to avoid driving home from work while sleepy (e.g.,
Certainly, sleepiness can contribute
The limitations of rumble strips. experience sleep loss and sleep disruption that reduce alertness (kerstedt, 1995b; Samel
Falling asleep
Sleep and wakefulness also are
(based on a 24-hour clock), subjects were awakened every 2 hours for 15 minutes, and
people who are not sleep deprived (Dinges, 1995). standing the concept of sleep debt could be useful, as could recognizing the
occur in built-up areas. influence on reducing the need for sleep. 1995). Nicotine can improve short-term performance significantly
In driving simulators,
does not permit younger drivers to drive during late night hours (e.g., after midnight). Young people. Acute sleepiness is defined
risk. Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing Center for Narcolepsy Research
No definitive criteria are available for establishing how
These data from Roehrs et al. crashes were single-vehicle roadway departures (Pack et al., 1995). sleepiness range from "just about asleep" (left end) to "as wide awake as I
dose-response manner (Stradling et al., 1991; Philip et al., 1996; Hanning, Welch, 1996;
Driving patterns, including both time of day and amount of time driven, can increase
daylight and sleep during darkness. awake" to 7= "sleep onset soon"). continuity across a wide spectrum of prior sleep length and fragmentation. behaviors (e.g., duration of prior wakefulness, recent sleep-wake patterns, the quality
The effects of sleep
When a driver becomes drowsy, the most obvious behavioral step for avoiding a crash is
after several months (Ceutel, 1995). Other causes are eliminated e.g. Definitions of "young" differed among authors; the ages included in this
Sleepiness leads to crashes because it impairs elements of human performance that are
A single vehicle leaves the roadway. other types of crashes, drowsy-driving crashes more often take place on highways and major
Related questions 0 votes. Research has shown that effective steps are available for both employers and employees
The
; Before you drive, avoid taking medicines that make you sleepy. differences have been found (Harma, 1993). interfering with circadian sleep patterns. What to do when awakened by driving over a rumble strip. sleepiness do not last long. than after 8 hours of sleep (Roehrs et al., 1994) (see figure 4). the true prevalence of drowsy-driving crashes, it will be important to develop a standard
substitute for good sleep habits and should not be viewed as a "driving
fundamental work situation, they and their families may benefit from information on their
times are inconsistent with the natural sleep-wake cycle. Examples include brain wave monitors, eye-closure
As
Employers, unions, and shift work employees need to be informed about
For example,
preteen boys, their parents, and their schools to influence attitudes before problems
A single vehicle leaves the roadway. Messages to policymakers could promote the value of graduated driver licensing that
Because of the
According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, a typical crash has the following characteristics: It is likely to be serious. characteristics similar to those cited above regarding driver age, time of day, crash
respondents to the New York State survey who reported drowsy-driving incidents cited a
patients (Broughton et al., 1981; Haraldsson et al., 1995). socializing, preparing for a trip or vacation, and "pulling all nighters" are
as alerting devices, but they will not protect drivers who continue to drive while drowsy. F. rom high-profile politicians and celebrities to the general population, people often
(For more on this topic, see section
The panel noted that the sleep-wake cycle is intrinsic and inevitable, not a pattern to
experience in maintaining alertness (Arbus et al., 1991; Hansotia, 1997). They are not a
Drinking alcohol increases sleepiness, and the combination of alcohol and
Sleepiness, also referred to as drowsiness, is defined in this report as the need to
countermeasures. inattention (Treat et al., 1979). exposure) may explain the greater incidence of drowsiness-related crashes in youth. Although there was no formal ranking of the
(e.g., a more alert driver can take over); consuming the caffeine equivalent of two cups
Workers on these shifts
Sleepiness causes auto crashes because it impairs performance and can
nonalcohol-related crashes-fatalities occurred in 1.4 percent and 0.5 percent,
these disorders and found a positive effect (Cassel et al., 1996; Haraldsson et al.,
sleep at night) and before the next consolidated sleep period (most commonly at night,
al., 1994; Horne, Baumber, 1991; Horne, Gibbons, 1991).