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AAA Foundation Issues Labor Day Warning

2 September 1998

AAA Foundation Issues Labor Day Warning: Sleeping and Driving Don't Mix

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 -- Drivers don't know how to cope with
sleepiness, suggests a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, and
are in danger of having crashes caused by drowsiness. "Getting behind the
wheel when you're sleepy is just as irresponsible as driving when you're
drunk," says David Willis, President of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
"We're trying to educate drivers about stay-alert strategies that work, before
they leave for the long weekend."
    The study was conducted by Dr. David Dinges, Beatrice A. Jauregui and Lan
Nguyen at the University of Pennsylvania, and was released at press conference
September 2 in Washington, D.C.  The study concluded that the only effective
ways to stay alert while driving involve taking naps and using caffeine.  Yet
most drivers believe that strategies such as rolling down the window,
listening to tapes, or taking off their shoes will keep them awake.  "Rolling
down the window may feel good, but it doesn't cure your underlying problem,
which is sleepiness," Willis explains.
    To help drivers remember how to maintain alertness, the AAA Foundation is
distributing colorful cards that explain how to overcome drowsiness.  "It's
the  'SEx-C system,'" Willis says. "It stands for 'Sleep, Exercise, and
Caffeine.'  We recommend sleeping for twenty minutes or more, exercising for a
few minutes to eliminate grogginess, and then using some form of caffeine.
The combination allows a few more hours of wide-awake driving."  Drivers
should keep the cards in their car to remind themselves about staying alert.
    In addition to advice to motorists, the study has suggestions for police
and turnpike authorities.  The authors suggest that rest areas be made safer
so motorists will be more likely to take a sleep break; "Many drivers refuse
to use rest areas for more than bathroom stops because they fear becoming
crime victims, especially at night," the study concludes.  More rest stops and
better security would encourage drivers to nap rather than keep driving.
    Since people are usually poor judges of their own sleepiness, the survey
asked professionals for signs they might fall asleep. The most common answers
included involuntary eyelid closures, inattention, yawning, inability to stay
in lane, and being disengaged from the environment and feeling tired.
"These symptoms mean you're tired, no matter what time of day you have them,"
Willis says.  Drowsy driving crashes often occur between midnight and 7 a.m.,
but are also common in mid-afternoon.  "Almost everyone feels drowsy in the
afternoon, whether you've eaten lunch or not," Willis says. "We're programmed
to feel sleepy at that time, and many serious crashes happened because of
afternoon sleepiness."  Drivers who feel drowsy should take the feeling
seriously.  "Sleep can strike without warning," Willis says.  "It only takes a
second to shut your eyes, leave your lane, and cause a crash."
    The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit charitable
organization funded by donations from AAA and Canadian Automobile Association
motor clubs and members.  Its safety education programs include teen driver
education; antilock brake (ABS) safety; drowsy driving; aggressive driving and
road rage; and older driver safety.  Located in Washington, D.C., the
Foundation has been devoted to preventing crashes and saving lives through
research and education since 1947.  Visit the Foundation's Web page at
http://www.aaafts.org for more information about its research and activities.