Millions Drive Drowsy and Fall Asleep at the Wheel

National Sleep Foundation Issues Wake-Up Call to Fatigued Drivers - Stop and Nap or Drink Caffeine!

Washington, DC - November 20, 2002

About one-half of America's adult drivers - 51 percent or approximately 100 million people - are on the roads feeling sleepy while they are driving. Nearly two in 10 drivers - 17 percent or approximately 14 million people - say they have actually fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year.

These are among the findings in the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2002 Sleep in America poll released today at the National Summit to Prevent Drowsy Driving in Washington, DC. A major goal of the two-day event, spearheaded by NSF, is to make drowsy driving prevention a national public health and safety priority. The poll findings and the Summit, which is aimed at reducing the perilous poll numbers, come just days before some 70 million drivers are expected to be on the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that approximately one-half or more of adult drivers admit to driving while drowsy or sleepy in NSF's annual poll. One percent of the respondents say they had an accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive, a figure that has remained consistent in the polls.

"We are definitely on a collision course in this country," says Richard L. Gelula, NSF's executive director. "More and more drivers are on the road, and millions of them get behind the wheel feeling sleepy, apparently without considering the inherent dangers they pose to themselves and others. This is a wake-up call to everyone who drives a motor vehicle or rides in a car, truck or bus: driving while feeling drowsy or fatigued is a lethal combination, and is no less an impairment than driving while drunk," he adds.

Males and young adults between 18 and 29 are at the highest risk for drowsy driving and falling asleep at the wheel, according to the NSF poll; in fact, more than two-thirds of these young adults who drive, (71%), report driving while drowsy in the past year. Adults with children in the household are more likely to drive drowsy than those without children while older adults, 65 and over, are the least likely to drive drowsy or to fall asleep at the wheel. (See tables below for percentages).

A strong connection between the quantity and quality of sleep and drowsy driving is apparent in the poll findings. One-quarter of those who rate their sleep as fair/poor are much more likely to drive drowsy than those who say their sleep is good or excellent (25% vs. 12% - 3%). Respondents reporting they sleep less than the minimum they need to be fully alert the next day are more likely to doze off at the wheel than those who sleep enough or more than necessary to be fully alert (23% vs. 13% -16%).

"One of the most alarming findings in the 2002 Sleep in America poll is that so many people stay on the roads without stopping in spite of feeling sleepy, or even dozing off at the wheel," says NSF's Gelula. More than one-half (59%) of the drowsy drivers admit they did not stop because of their sleepiness.

Warning Signs of Fatigue While Driving

There are several signs to indicate fatigue while driving, Gelula notes, though many people may not associate the symptoms with fatigue or sleepiness and continue to drive when they should stop. Here are some signs that should tell a driver to stop and rest.

• Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
• Trouble keeping your head up
• Yawning repeatedly
• Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
• Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
• Preventing a fall-asleep crash

NSF says the best way to prevent a fall-asleep crash is to plan ahead and get plenty of sleep before hitting the road. If you start to feel tired while driving, stop or have a driving companion take over. If you are not stopping for the night, find a safe, well-lit area and take a 15-20 minute nap. Caffeine from coffee or energy drinks can promote short-term alertness, but it takes about 30 minutes for it to enter the bloodstream. Blasting a radio, opening a window and similar "tricks" to stay awake do not work.

For more information about drowsy driving, the National Summit to Prevent Drowsy Driving, and other sleep-related issues, visit NSF's Web site, www.sleepfoundation.org.

WB&A Market Research conducted the 2002 Sleep in America poll for NSF by telephone between October 1 and December 10, 2001 among a random sample of 1,010 adults at least 18 years of age. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percent. Additional poll data were released earlier this year.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting education, sleep-related research, and advocacy. The Foundation is based in Washington, DC.

Read the Poll Highlights