One-third admit to driving while drowsy

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Updated: November 28, 2011 6:17PM

Nearly one-third of American drivers admitted to drowsy driving in the past month, even though 96 percent of the respondents said drowsy driving is an unacceptable behavior, according to a new survey.

Drowsy driving can have serious consequences. These drivers are involved in one of every six deadly crashes and one in eight crashes resulting in serious injury, according to a study released last year by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which sponsored
the current survey.

Warning signs of drowsy driving include: difficulty keeping your eyes open and focused, and/or heavy eyelids; difficulty keeping your head up; drifting from your lane, swerving, tailgating and/or hitting rumble strips; inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven; missing traffic signs or driving past your exit; yawning repeatedly and rubbing your eyes; feeling irritable or restless.

The AAA offers the following drowsy driving prevention tips:

† Sleep at least seven hours the night before a long trip.

† Stop driving if you become sleepy.

† Travel at times when you are normally awake. Stay overnight instead of driving straight through to your destination.

† Take a break every two hours or every 100 miles.

† Drink a caffeinated beverage but remember that it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream. Find a safe place to take a 20- to 30-minute nap while you wait for the caffeine to take effect.

† Travel with an awake passenger.

HealthDay