By Tom Odegaard Executive Director Evergreen Safety Council

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) surveys, half of Americans consistently report that they have driven drowsy and approximately 20% admit that they have actually fallen asleep at the wheel in the previous year.

Did You Know:
100,000 crashes each year are caused by fatigued drivers? Each year drowsy driving crashes result in at least 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses? 55% of drowsy driving crashes are caused by drivers less than 25 years old? Being awake for 18 hours is equal to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%, which in every state is the legal limit for driving under the influence (DUI) and leaves you at equal risk for a crash?

Here are some signs that should tell a driver to stop and rest:  

• Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids  
• Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts  
• Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs  
• Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes  
• Trouble keeping your head up  
• Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip  
• Feeling restless and irritable

I have a sleep disorder and have been and can be a drowsy driver. I have learned from experience the importance of knowing the signs of drowsiness and when I need to pull off to rest sometimes for as little as a few minutes, sometimes a short nap; or if I have another driver – asking them to drive. I have even pulled off within a couple miles of my home – it may seem silly to some, but well worth it to me. I get home safely and without endangering others.

Reference (http://www.esc.org/wp-content/uploads/January-2014.pdf)