Darrel Drobnich

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The Scope Nature of Drowsy DrivingWake Up
Michigan! SymposiumSeptember 20, 2007

• Darrel Drobnich
• Chief Program Officer Policy, Education
  Research
• National Sleep Foundation
• 1522 K Street, NW, Suite 500
• Washington, DC 20005
• www.sleepfoundation.org

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The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an
independent nonprofit organization dedicated to
improving public health and safety by achieving
public understanding of sleep and sleep
disorders, and by supporting sleep-related
education, research and advocacy.
National Sleep Foundation
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Our Mantra
Good sleep promotes health, safety, productivity
and well-being
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The Triad of Well-Being
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Chronically Sleep Deprived...

• The average American sleeps less than 7 hours
• 37 of adults say they are so tired during the
  day it interferes with daily activities
• 74 of adults experience at least one symptom of
  a sleep disorder a few nights a week or more
• 35 of adults nap at least once during the week

NSF 2002 Sleep in America Poll
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Why We Arent Sleeping...

• Volitional sleep deprivation (work, lifestyle)
• Poor sleep habits
• Circadian factors (shift work)
• Environmental disruptions
• Untreated sleep problems/disorders
• We dont take sleep seriously!!!

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Americans Dont Understand Sleep

• 83 of Americans failed NSFs Sleep IQ Test
  (regardless of age, socioeconomic status, and
  education level).
• 50 million Americans suffer from over 80
  different sleep disorders, yet most go
  undiagnosed and/or untreatedonly 4 of Americans
  are seeing a healthcare provider for their sleep
  problem.

NSF 1999 Sleep in America Survey
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Institute of Medicine Report
An Unmet Public Health Problem
The cumulative effects of sleep loss and sleep
disorders represent an under-recognized public
health problem and have been associated with a
wide range of health consequences including an
increased risk of hypertension, diabetes,
obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.
Almost 20 percent of all serious car crash
injuries in the general population are associated
with driver sleepiness. Hundreds of billions of
dollars a year are spent on direct medical costs
related to sleep disorders such as doctor visits,
hospital services, prescriptions, and
over-the-counter medications.
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Impairment is Impairment is Impairment!

• The Effects of Fatigue Mirror That of Drugs and
  Alcohol

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Fatigue vs. Alcohol

• 15 hours sustained wakefulness produces
  performance impairment .05 BAC
• 24 hours .10 BAC (Dawson Reid, 1997
  Williamson Feyer, 2000).
• People with mild to moderate untreated sleep
  apnea performed worse than those with a 0.06 BAC
  (Powell, 1999)
• On 4 hours sleep, 1 beer can have the impact of a
  six-pack (Roehrs et al., 1994)

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How Big is the Problem of Drowsy Driving?
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Drowsy DrivingNational Statistics

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  estimates
• 100,000 police-report crashes annually
• 1,550 fatalities (4)
• 71,000 injuries
• 12.5 billion in monetary losses
• 1 million 1/6 of all crashes are linked to
  inattention
• (Knipling, 1996)

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International Studies

• EnglandAbout 20 30 on some roads
• AustraliaBetween 15-20 of all crashes 30 of
  single-vehicle crashes
• New Zealand13 of fatal crashes 6 of injury
  crashes
• Germany35 of fatal motorway crashes
• FranceAbout 10

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Drowsy Driving Experiences
Percent Reporting Their Experiences While Driving
During the Past Year ( Yes)
Driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy
Dozed off while at the wheel of a vehicle
(at any time)
Had an accident because they dozed off or were
too tired
2003 Parents who drive 2004 Adults 55-84
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NHTSA National Survey of Distracted and Drowsy
Driving Attitudes and Behaviors
?
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Fatigued and Drowsy DrivingAttitudes, Concern
and Practices ofOntario Drivers

• Traffic Injury Research Foundation
• Telephone survey of randomized sample of 750
  drivers in Ontario area in 2007.

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Fatigued and Drowsy DrivingAttitudes, Concern
and Practices ofOntario Drivers

• Nearly 60 (5 million) admit that they have
  driven while fatigued or drowsy at least
  sometime
• 14.5 (1,280,000) say they actually fell asleep
  or nodded off while driving at least once in the
  past year
• Among those 1,280,000 drivers who fell asleep or
  nodded off while driving about 105,000 of them
  did so on numerous occasions (more than five
  times)
• The total number involved in at least one crash
  in the past year due to fatigued or drowsy
  driving may be as high as 167,000.

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Average Rating of Perceived Effectiveness of a
Variety of Tactics
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Tactics used to overcome fatigue or drowsiness
while driving in the last 12 months
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What are the Characteristics of Drowsy Driving
Crashes?
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Characteristics of Drowsy Driving Crashes

• Most happen between midnight 600 am in the
  midafternoon (circadian dip)
• The driver is alone and more likely to be male
• A single vehicle drifts off the road and hits a
  stationary object
• Most are rear-end or head-on collisions
• Many involve serious injuries and/or fatalities
• There is no evidence of braking or evasive
  maneuvers NO SKID MARKS!!

(Pack, 1995, Knipling Wang 1995)
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Why Do People Have Drowsy Driving Crashes? AAA
FTS Study

• Occupational Factors
• People with more than one job are 2x more likely
  to have a fall-asleep crash
• Working the night shift increases the risk by 6x
• Working more 60 hrs per week increased the risk
  by 40

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Why Do People Have Drowsy Driving Crashes? AAA
FTS Study

• Amount of Sleep
• One fourth of drivers in sleep-related crashes
  and 1/3 of drivers fatigue-related crashes got
  less than 6 hrs of sleep.
• 7 to 8 hrs 1.2x higher risk
• 6 to 7 hrs 1.8x higher risk
• 5 to 6 hrs 3.3x higher risk

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Why Do People Have Drowsy Driving Crashes? AAA
FTS Study

• Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorders
• Drivers in DD crashes were more likely to report
  sleep problems.
• Drivers with fair sleep 1.7x increased risk
• Drivers with poor sleep 3.5x increased risk
• Drivers in crashes were 2x more likely to mention
  that they got inadequate sleep
• Few drivers reported having a diagnosed sleep
  disorder problem with public education???

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Are You At Risk?
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Special At-Risk Groups Include

• Young people
• Shift workers
• Commercial drivers
• People with undiagnosed or untreated sleep
  disorders
• Business travelers
• The elderly

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2006 Sleep in America Poll

• 51 of adolescents who drive report that they
  have driven drowsy in the past year
• 16 of 11th graders and 20 of 12th graders drive
  drowsy once a week or more.

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Who is Driving Your Children?

• June 22, 2005 A school bus carrying 14 children
  collided head-on with a semi trailer in West
  Jordan, Utah, sending 13 kids and one adult to
  hospitals with minor injuries.
• The 22-year-old driver told police he may have
  dozed off.

Source The Salt Lake Tribune
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For More Information

• www.sleepfoundation.org
• www.drowsydriving.org
• www.sleepforkids.org

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Summary

• America is chronically sleep deprived
• Drowsy driving affects everyone, especially
  certain at risk groups
• There are common characteristics that increase
  your risk for drowsy driving
• Drowsy driving is likely to increase as Americans
  work more hours, experience commute times, and
  face an expanding 24/7 culture