Submitted By the Koala Center for Sleep Disorders
Planning a summer road trip? You’re not alone. A recent Bridgestone survey found that four out of five people hit the road for summer fun. With so many destinations to choose from, deciding where you’ll stop along the way, what sights you’ll see, and where you’ll stay, it makes for a lot of decisions for you and those you’re traveling with.
But there’s one thing that you and your travel companions can agree on, getting to your destination and back safely is priority number one.
When planning your road trip, there are many safety precautions to take including checking tires, lights, fluid levels, wiper blades, and other vehicle functions. Unfortunately, not all drivers consider how their fatigue will contribute to the safety of themselves, their passengers, and others on the roadway.
Driver Fatigue Affects Driver Safety
The National Sleep Foundation reports that each year on our highways at least 100,000 accidents and 1,500 fatalities are sleep related, with actual figures closer to 200,000 accidents and 5,000 deaths. Most of these accidents happen during the time when the driver would have been sleeping. Thirty-one percent of all drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in their lifetime. The more fatigued the driver, the more severe the crash. Driving longer distances can make a driver more prone to fatigue, but working long hours, shift work, lack of sleep, or a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, can increase your fatigue anytime you drive.
How Fatigue Affects Your Driving
Fatigue can have a huge impact on your driving. In fact, people who sleep only six to seven hours a night are two times more likely to be involved in a car crash than those getting eight hours or more. According to the National Sleep Foundation, drivers who have slept less than five hours increase their risk by 400-500 percent. Driving fatigued can also be similar to driving drunk. If you’ve been awake for 18 hours, it’s similar to having a BAC of 0.05. Being awake for 24 hours of more is like having a BAC of 0.10. These statistics remind us of the seriousness of getting good rest and not driving while fatigued.
Sleep Disorders Increase Risk of Accidents
Over 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea, or temporary cessation of breathing, a potentially life-threatening disorder. Shockingly, 95 percent of these people are undiagnosed and untreated. Those with untreated sleep apnea are at increased risk for a host of health problems including stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, depression, and cancer, among others.
Untreated sleep apnea can also increase your risk for having a car accident. A study performed by the University of British Columbia Sleep Disorders program evaluated 800 people with sleep apnea. The study found that these people were two times more likely to be involved in a car crash and three to five times more likely to be involved with a car crash causing personal injury. The study found that even those with mild sleep apnea were at an increased risk for a car crash involving personal injury.
Know Your Symptoms of Fatigue
Fatigue is easy to detect, with symptoms including:
- Yawning
- Sore or heavy eyes
- Slower reaction times
- Finding you’re daydreaming and not concentrating on your driving
- Driving speed creeps up or down
- Impatience
- Impaired driving performance such as poor gear changes
- Stiffness and cramps
- Loss of motivation
Two central Illinois patients of Dr. Rod Willey of the Koala Center For Sleep Disorders have experienced falling asleep at the wheel firsthand. One gentleman, who struggled with severe sleep apnea, fell asleep at the wheel and woke up when his vehicle was traveling through a cornfield. This patient began to fear getting behind the wheel, so much so that he was at the mercy of a friend to take him to where he needed to go.
Another patient in her mid-70’s fell asleep while driving resulting in a one car accident. The courts determined that her license would be revoked until she obtained treatment for her sleep apnea. After seeking successful treatment from Dr. Willey, she was safely back on the road.
Luckily in both of these cases, no one was seriously injured. But that is not always the outcome.
If you struggle with daytime fatigue, headaches, loud snoring, or choking or gasping for air, you may suffer from sleep apnea. You could be putting yourself and others at risk. It would be worth your safety, and the safety of those around you, to be evaluated for the possibility of sleep apnea.
What To Do To Avoid Drowsy Driving
- Take a break before you reach critical fatigue.
- Schedule regular breaks and pay close attention to your body’s cues.
- Night time is very risky for drivers since sleep becomes an irresistible urge. Avoid driving between midnight and six a.m. if possible.
- Be aware of an “afternoon lull” between one and five p.m. when many sleep- related crashes happen.
- Get enough sleep, especially the night before a long trip.
- Travel with a passenger who can keep you alert.
- Pull off the road when feeling tired or let your passenger drive.
- The use of caffeine can give a short-term boost to help you be more alert, but it is no substitute for sleep.
For more information on how to avoid drowsy driving, visit https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/DrowsyDrivingBrochure.pdf
For more information, contact Dr. Rod Willey at the Koala Center for Sleep Disorders. As a general dentist, with a Diplomate from the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines, Dr. Willey has limited his practice to the treatment of snoring, sleep apnea, and TMJ Disorders with oral appliance therapy. To contact them, call 309-565-8149 or visit KoalaSleepCenters.com.
Sources: Transport Accident Commission, SafeCar.gov, National Sleep Foundation, Bridgestone America Surveys 2014, Federal Department of Transportation, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Photo credit: Vladimir Mucibabic/Thinkstock