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CAPITAL REGION, N.Y.- The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Governor's Road Safety Committee (GTSC) urge motorists to become aware of the dangers of drowsy driving.
Summer time ended on Sunday, November 4 at 2 am The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is taking this opportunity to launch Safe Drowsiness Prevention Week, November 4 to 11.
"Drowsiness and fatigue contribute to thousands of accidents each year on our roads and cause far too many preventable deaths and injuries," said Terri Egan, deputy commissioner and acting president of DMV, in a statement. Press release. "We urge all motorists to be aware of the warning signs of drowsiness, especially as we adjust to normal weather, and to take appropriate measures to ensure that they never drive in a state of drowsiness."
In 2017, according to statistics from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR), the words "sleepiness / drowsiness at the wheel" and / or "driver fell asleep" have was cited 5,004 times among the contributing factors to police crash reports throughout the state. So far in 2018, according to preliminary figures from the ITSMR, these same factors have been listed 3,091 times in police accident reports throughout the state.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that every year 100,000 police accidents are reported nationally, in which driving drowsiness or driver fatigue are cited as contributing factors. NHTSA estimates that these accidents resulted in 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries.
To raise awareness of this issue, New York State's Partnership Against Drowsy Driving (NYPDD) promotes a message entitled "Stay Awake, Stay Alive" during Sleep Prevention Week. .
Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation, Paul A. Karas, said in the statement: "The protection of public safety is still the number one priority of the Department of Transportation and we urge all motorists to become aware of the warning signs of drowsiness while driving and to stop if they do not feel alert enough to drive safely. Staying awake and alert driving is essential to ensure the safety of all motorists and avoid the tragedies on the roads of New York. "
In the statement, Matthew J. Driscoll, executive director of Thruway Authority, said, "The change in time and the adaptation of our sleep schedule can have an impact on driving. Weary motorists can fall asleep for a few seconds without even realizing it, endangering the lives of all road users. We urge motorists to pay attention to warning signs and make the right decisions to ensure their safety, as well as that of other motorists and workers on our roadway. "
"Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, even though many of us are neglecting it in this rapidly changing world," said Dr. Howard A. Zucker, Commissioner of the Department of Health. Health of the State of New York. "As we resume our schedule this week for the standard time, take extra precautions to make sure you feel alert and well-rested before driving a car."
The NYPDD has also recently partnered with the State University of New York at Stony Brook to deal with the high number of road accidents related to drowsiness in the county. of Suffolk. With financial support from the GTSC and the National Road Safety Foundation, the Stony Brook School of Health Technology and Management (SHTM) has developed an interactive and educational website and training program to combat driving drowsiness among students.
The StopDrowsyDriving.org website includes a drowsiness assessment questionnaire designed to help users become aware of the risk of drowsy driving, myths and myths about the problem, and strategies to improve sleep habits. to reduce the incidence of driving while falling asleep and the resulting accidents. The University has also organized "train the trainer" sessions to teach teachers at other local colleges how to address the risk of drowsy driving with their students.
According to officials, anyone may be at risk of drowsy driving, but some groups have been identified as the most vulnerable. In addition to students, these groups include: commercial drivers, including drivers of semi-trailers, tourist buses and public transportation; people who work long hours or night shifts; people with sleep disorders; new parents or guardians of children and young children; high school students; and young people and new drivers.
Warning signs of drowsy driving include repeated yawning; have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused; forget the last kilometers traveled; alignment or absence of traffic lights; and drift or drift between traffic lanes.
According to the authorities, drowsiness may slow the driver's reaction time, increase the risk of an accident, as well as impair vision and judgment and delay the processing of information. Drivers should get enough sleep before driving, take a break every 100 miles or every two hours and bring a passenger to help them stay awake and share driving responsibilities. Do not drink alcohol before driving and always be aware of the possible side effects of any medication.
Officials said that one should not rely on the usual strategies to avoid drowsiness, such as opening a window, turning on air conditioning or playing loud music, to overcome fatigue. It takes sometimes half an hour to feel the effects of caffeine, which only gives a short-term increase in driver vigilance. The safest thing for drowsy drivers is to stop and find a safe place to nap or sleep at night.
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