Excessive Sleepiness May Result In An Increased Risk Of A Motor Vehicle Crash Either Because The Motorist Falls Asleep While Driving Or Because He Experiences Reduced Attention To Road Events And Driving Tasks Due To Fatigue/sleepiness. These Crashes Are Primarily Of The "drift-off-the-road" Sort, As Driving Off The Road May Reflect The Behavior Of A Sleepy Driver. The Amount Of Legal And Scientific Evidence Regarding Driver Fatigue Is Large Enough To Warrant Special Attention Towards Investigating Ways Of Preventing Crashes That Have Drowsiness As A Major Contributing Factor To The Use.
Data From The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Reveal That Driver Drowsiness Or Fatigue Have Accounted For 56,000 Crashes Every Year. About 40,000 Injuries And 1,550 Deaths Are Attributed To These Crashes.
Looking For Measures To Curb The Occurrence Of Drowsy-driving Related Accidents Is A Must To Prevent Future Accidents That Could Result To Loss Of Lives And Property. While There Are Other Factors That Contribute To Truck Accidents, Sleeping On The Wheel Pose A Greater Danger Due To The Long Hours That Truck Drivers Perform Not Mentioning The Fact That They Get Very Little Time For Sleep. A Driver Requires At Least 8 Hours Of Sleep A Day To Maintain Top Alertness. Of Course Those 8 Hours Should Be Without Any Disruption.
Lack Of Adequate Sleep Impairs Driving Performance By Lengthening Reaction Time, Decreasing Vigilance And Attention, And Slowing Information Processing. This Lack Of Sleep Also May Lead To Falling Asleep On The Wheel. It Really Is A Must For A Driver To Have The Right Amount Of Sleep To Be On Top Driving Condition.
Unusual Driving Patterns Also Aggravate The Situation. Driving Between Midnight And 6 A.m.; Driving A Substantial Number Of Miles Each Year And/or A Substantial Number Of Hours Each Day; Driving In The Mid-afternoon Hours (especially For Older Persons); And Driving For Long Stretches Without Taking A Break Can Make Anyone Very Sleepy. Studies Reveal That Driver Fatigue Plays A Significant Role In Large Truck Crashes, And That Truck Drivers Are More Likely To Crash After Many Hours Of Driving.
To Minimize The Occurrence Of Drowsy-driving Accidents, Ideal Situations Must Be Provided For Truck Drivers To Help Keep Their Alertness At An Optimal State. Truck Companies Must Be Selective When Choosing Drivers. A Person With A History Of Sleeping On The Wheel Must Get The Proper Medical Attention To Solve The Problem. Safety On The Road Is A Concern Of Everyone.
| 
