All Topics  
Sleep deprived driving

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Sleep deprived driving
 
 
  Topics Sleep deprived driving Topic Home

Sleep deprived driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep
Sleep

Sleep is the natural state of bodily rest observed in humans and other animals. It is common to all mammals and birds, and is also seen in many reptiles, amphibians and fish....
. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as alcohol
Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl Functional group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group....
 can. According to a 1998 survey, 23% of adults have fallen asleep while driving. According to the United States Department of Transportation, male drivers admit to have fallen asleep while driving twice as much as female drivers.

>

The effects of sleep deprivation compared to the effects of alcohol
Numerous studies have found that sleep deprivation can affect driving as much, and sometimes more, than alcohol.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Sleep deprived driving'
Start a new discussion about 'Sleep deprived driving'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Sleep deprived driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep
Sleep

Sleep is the natural state of bodily rest observed in humans and other animals. It is common to all mammals and birds, and is also seen in many reptiles, amphibians and fish....
. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as alcohol
Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl Functional group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group....
 can. According to a 1998 survey, 23% of adults have fallen asleep while driving. According to the United States Department of Transportation, male drivers admit to have fallen asleep while driving twice as much as female drivers.

The effects of sleep deprivation on driving performance


Sleep deprivation has been proven to affect driving ability in three areas:

  1. It impairs coordination.
  2. It causes longer reaction times.
  3. It impairs judgment.


The effects of sleep deprivation compared to the effects of alcohol


Numerous studies have found that sleep deprivation can affect driving as much, and sometimes more, than alcohol. British researchers have found that driving after 17 to 18 hours of being awake is as harmful as driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.05%, the legal limit in many European countries. Men under 30 are more likely to be in an accident caused by sleep deprivation.

Accidents


It has been estimated that between 16% and 60% of all accidents have sleep deprivation as a cause. Between 1989 and 1993, it has been estimated that an average of 1,544 people were killed annually in the US as a result of sleep deprived driving.. Accidents related to sleep deprivation are most likely to happen in the early to midafternoon, and in the very early morning hours. Sleep deprivation was blamed a major cause of the Selby rail crash
Selby rail crash

The Selby rail crash was a high-speed train accident that occurred at Great Heck near Selby, Yorkshire, England on the morning of 28 February 2001....
 in which 10 people died and 82 were injured.

Sleep deprived driving in truckers and in the military


Sleep deprived driving is a major problem in truckers and in the military. The US military estimates that approximately 9% of crashes resulting in death or serious injury during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield
Gulf War

"Persian Gulf War" and "First Gulf War" redirect here. For other uses, see Persian Gulf War .The Persian Gulf War was a United Nations-authorized military conflict between Iraq and a Coalition of Gulf War from 34 nations commissioned with expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait of Kuwait in August 1990....
 were caused by sleep deprived driving.

Government response to sleep deprived driving


Governments had attempted to reduce sleep deprived driving through education messages and by ingraining roads with dents, known as "rumble" strips in the US, which cause a noise when drivers wander out of their lane. The Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia

The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then....
 recently introduced a "Driver Reviver" program where drivers can receive free coffee to help them stay awake.

See also

  • Sleep deprivation
    Sleep deprivation

    Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. This may occur as a result of sleep disorders, active choice or deliberate inducement such as in interrogation or for torture....
  • Driving
    Driving

    Driving is the controlled operation of a land vehicle, such as a automobile, truck or bus. Although direct operation of a bicycle, a mounted animal or a motorcycle is commonly called riding, such operators are usually legally considered to be drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road which apply to all drivers....


External links