Experts warn of risks of drowsy driving

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a Washington nonprofit that focuses on education and advocacy of sleep disorders, about 54 percent of adult drivers - 110 million people - have driven while drowsy.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention, with fatigued drivers a common cause.

And there seem to be plenty of drowsy drivers out there.

Joseph Kaplan, co-director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Mayo Clinic, said the number of people suffering from sleep deprivation appears to be on the rise.

"In the surveys I've seen, the majority of people report getting less sleep than they did 10 years ago," Kaplan said. "About 40 percent of the population sleeps less than seven hours a night."

We're becoming more of a 24-hour culture, with people continuing to work, shop, go online or watch television into the night - when they used to be in bed, Kaplan said. Many sleep-deprived people don't realize they need more rest, and when they go to the doctor they often don't think to mention a lack of sleep, he said, so they don't get help.

Drowsy.org

rx Experts warn of risks of drowsy driving According to the National Sleep Foundation, a Washington nonprofit that focuses on education and advocacy of sleep disorders, about 54 percent of adult drivers - 110 million people - have driven while drowsy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention, with fatigued drivers a common cause. And there seem to be plenty of drowsy drivers out there. Joseph Kaplan, co-director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Mayo Clinic, said the number of people suffering from sleep deprivation appears to be on the rise. "In the surveys I've seen, the majority of people report getting less sleep than they did 10 years ago," Kaplan said. "About 40 percent of the population sleeps less than seven hours a night." We're becoming more of a 24-hour culture, with people continuing to work, shop, go online or watch television into the night - when they used to be in bed, Kaplan said. Many sleep-deprived people don't realize they need more rest, and when they go to the doctor they often don't think to mention a lack of sleep, he said, so they don't get help. Continue to Athens Banner-Herald - Experts warn of risks of drowsy driving © 2009 http://onlineathens.com - Athens Banner-Herald - All rights reserved. Rate This Article:	contact us