THE HAZARDS AND PREVENTION OF DRIVING WHILE SLEEPY

This paper reviews the literature concerning the association between sleepiness and driving. The current state of prevention also is discussed. Findings show that sleepiness may be a factor in about 20% of motor vehicle accidents. Studies carried out in controlled environments suggest that the most common changes in driving performance attributable to sleepiness include increase variability of speed and lateral lane position. Higher-order functions including judgment and risk taking may also deteriorate. Moreover, prolonging wakefulness even by a few hours may produce deterioration in driving performance comparable to that seen in drivers with blood alcohol concentrations above the legal limit. The majority of prevention efforts to date have focused on short-term countermeasures that only mask underlying sleepiness. It is suggested that more emphasis be directed toward primary prevention efforts such as educating drivers about the importance of getting sufficient sleep and avoiding circadian performance troughs. Health professionals can play an important role in the identification, treatment and education of sleepy drivers.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/10870792
• Corporate Authors:

  Saunders (WB) Company

  West Washington Square
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19105
• Authors:
  • MacLean, A W
  • Davies, DRT
  • Thiele, K
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 507-521
• Serial:
  • Sleep Medicine Reviews
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Saunders (WB) Company
  • ISSN: 1087-0792
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10870792

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Countermeasures; Driver education; Drivers; Driving; Drowsiness; Human factors in crashes; Judgment (Human characteristics); Literature reviews; Risk taking; Safety programs; Sleep deprivation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974001
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 7 2004 12:00AM