One hour of sleep deprivation can double the risk of a car crash

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A new report shows that even one or two hours of sleep deprivation at night nearly doubles the chance of being in a car crash the next day, and getting behind the wheel after just four to five hours with your eyes closed. quadruple that risk, researchers from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety warn.

1. Traffic accidents caused by lack of sleep

According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers who are sleep deprived by one to two hours, compared with the recommended amount of sleep in a 24-hour period of seven hours, nearly double their risk. accident. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 35% of drivers in the United States sleep less than the recommended seven hours a day. And with more than a fifth of fatal US road crashes each year related to drowsy driving, the AAA warns drivers that sleeping less than seven hours can have deadly consequences.
Not everyone who causes an accident drinks alcohol then drives or texts while driving, but everyone feels tired. Drivers are putting themselves and others in danger by getting behind the wheel without getting enough sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that healthy adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. According to the report, teenagers, young adults and people recovering from sleep deprivation may need more sleep.

2. Lack of sleep while driving - potential disaster

The organization warns that sleep deprivation while driving slows down reaction times, reduces response accuracy, and leads to long-term distraction.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has released a report from the data from testing in a survey by NHTSA - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The investigation included a representative sample of nearly 4,600 police-reported accidents between July 2005 and December 2007. These accidents involved at least one vehicle being towed from the scene of the crash. and medical staff were sent to perform out-of-hospital emergency.
Specially trained investigators at the scene assessed the factors that contributed to the crash as well as the driver's sleep habits, changes in sleep schedule and sleep duration in the 24 hours prior to the crash. accident occurred.
The organization has estimated the crash risk for a given amount of sleep compared with the recommended sleep of seven hours or more. They compared the sleep of drivers whose actions or fault caused the accident to that of drivers involved in accidents through no fault of their own.

Research shows that sleep-deprived drivers have a steady increase in accident risk with less sleep than drivers who sleep 7 hours or more. The researchers found that drivers who slept for four hours or less were 11.5 times more likely to be involved in an accident than well-rested drivers.
Drivers who contributed to accidents often reported getting less sleep than usual in the 24 hours before the accident. They were also more likely to have changed their sleep schedule in the previous seven days.
The youngest and oldest drivers are the ones to blame for these sleep-deprived traffic accidents. In contrast, drivers who cause fewer accidents are mostly middle-aged, the report said.
Dr David Yang, Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety said: “You can't miss sleep and still expect to be able to drive safely.” "Our new study shows that a driver who sleeps less than five hours has the same crash risk as a drunk driver."

3. In front of the steering wheel is life

The AAA report on Traffic Safety, Acute Insomnia, and Risks Related to Motor Vehicle Accidents, reveals that drivers who lack 2-3 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period are at increased risk of being involved in an accident. 4 times higher than drivers who get 7 hours of sleep. This is the same accident risk that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attaches to driving above the legal limit for alcohol. The AAA report is based on analysis of a representative sample of 7,234 drivers were involved in 4,571 accidents. All data are from the NHTSA's National Motor Vehicle Accident Cause Survey, which includes a representative sample of accidents in police reports in which at least one vehicle was towed from the scene and led to emergency medical services dispatched to the scene. The AAA Foundation report shows that over a 24-hour period, the risk of an accident for sleep-deprived drivers steadily increased compared with drivers who got the recommended 7 hours or more of sleep:
Sleep six to seven hours: 1.3 times the risk of an accident Sleeping between five and six hours: 1.9 times the risk of an accident Sleeping four to five hours: 4.3 times the risk of an accident Sleeping less than four hours: 11 times ,5 times accident risk

While 97% of drivers told AAA that they consider sleep deprivation while driving to be completely unacceptable behavior and a serious threat to their safety, almost a third admit that at least once in the past month they've been driving when they're so tired they can't even open their eyes.
Jake Nelson, AAA's Director of Traffic Safety Research and Advocacy, said: “Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not easy and as a result we frequently sacrifice sleep. mine. "Failing to maintain a healthy sleep routine can put you or others at risk as a result."
Symptoms of drowsy driving may include difficulty opening your eyes, drifting out of your lane, or not remembering the last places you've driven. However, more than half of the drivers involved in traffic accidents due to lack of sleep or fatigue experience no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel. The AAA recommends that motorists not rely on bodily sensations to gauge fatigue and instead prioritize getting plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) in their daily routine. For longer trips, drivers should also:
Travel at normally sober times Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles Avoid overeating Take a vigilant passenger and take turns drive together Avoid drugs that cause drowsiness or other impairments

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References: webmd.com, sciencedaily.com