Drowsy Driving
Prevention
Week Is
Nov. 7-13
Fatigue and drowsy driving are serious issues that affect every individual driver and business sector, including the recycling industry. According to the National Safety Council, a person is three times more likely to have a car accident when he or she is fatigued. Notably, about 15% of all heavy-truck crashes involve commercial and long-haul drivers suffering from fatigue.
Even if driving isn’t a function of an employee’s job, most of them still drive to and from work, which makes them susceptible to drowsy driving. Nearly 30 percent of American drivers have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll, and more than half said they have driven while drowsy.
Educating employees on drowsy driving prevention can help them arrive safely to work, perform safely all day, and return home unharmed. That’s the focus of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, which runs from Sunday, Nov. 7, through Saturday, Nov. 13.
Here are a few tips on how to prevent drowsy driving:
■ Get a good night's sleep before driving.
■ On longer trips, schedule regular breaks, about every 100 miles or every couple of hours.
■ Do not consume alcohol before driving and avoid medications that cause drowsiness.
Click HERE to access fatigue-related resources from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The National Safety Council also offers information on drowsy driving at this link.
In addition, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers, which are designed to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
Photo courtesy of the Utah Department of Public Safety.
