to being impaired by fatigue while driving, with 55% admitting to struggling to keep their eyes open, and 48% saying they had trouble concentrating. The study also found that 15% of the teens had fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in the past year.
Drowsy driving is a serious issue that can have devastating consequences. The study authors urge parents to talk to their teenage drivers about the dangers of drowsy driving and encourage them to get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel. Additionally, they stress the importance of recognizing the signs of drowsy driving and knowing when to pull over and rest. With increased awareness and education, the hope is to reduce the number of drowsy driving accidents involving teenage drivers on U.S. roadways.
Teenage drivers often struggle to get enough sleep due to their busy schedules with work or school. This lack of sleep can lead to drowsy driving, which can be extremely dangerous. In fact, teens with jobs are more than twice as likely to drive drowsy compared to those without jobs. Joseph Dzierzewski, a doctor of clinical psychology and the vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation, finds this trend especially concerning, as teen drivers have limited experience compared to adults. These findings highlight the need for better awareness and education around the dangers of drowsy driving among young drivers.Research shows that 95% of teens find drowsy driving to be extremely or very risky when asked about the associated risks. However, when questioned about the likelihood of drunk, drugged, distracted, and drowsy driving leading to death or serious injury, drowsy driving was perceived as having the lowest risk of harm.
The National Sleep Foundation has been organizing Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® since 2007 and has recently released a new position statement on drowsy driving. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers drowsy driving to be a widespread threat to public health and recommends taking action to address it.Some states require driver’s education programs to include lessons on drowsy driving, as well as information about it in state curricula and driver’s manuals. They also include questions on drowsy driving in driver’s license exams. The AASM also encourages all drivers to prioritize getting enough sleep, avoid driving when tired, recognize signs of drowsiness, and pull over to a safe location when feeling sleepy.
The survey was conducted nationally and used a probability-based sampling method.The study surveyed 1,124 U.S. participants between the ages of 13 and 17 to examine the prevalence, frequency, and beliefs surrounding drowsy driving. Participants were asked if they had ever driven while feeling so tired that they struggled to keep their eyes open, how often this occurred, what prevented them from getting enough sleep to drive safely, and their perceptions of the risks associated with drowsy driving.
The research is particularly important given that motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among U.S. teenagers, highlighting the need for increased attention to this preventable public health issue.
“Drowsy driving is an immediate and potentially tragic consequence of inadequate sleep,” said the researchers.
“Residing at the literal intersection of sleep health and public safety,” Dzierzewski said, referring to sleep health.
The research abstract was recently published in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and is set to be presented on Wednesday, June 5, during SLEEP 2024 in Houston.
