Yesterday's news release from the Centers of Disease Control that the United States is a sleep-deprived nation won't shock anyone who holds a job and cares for children. Are you still awake?
A bigger problem is the toll it's taking on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that each year, drowsy driving causes approximately 100,000 automobile crashes,
71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities. Those numbers are growing.
People tend to fall asleep while driving on high-speed, long, rural highways or routes that are "boring," according to the National Sleep Foundation. In fact, most crashes occur between midnight and 6 a.m. Mothers Against Drunk Driving would have you believe that you're most likely to get killed in the wee hours from boozing fools. In fact, you're more likely to get offed from a sober citizen dozing at the wheel. Truckers are now the worst offenders.As fuel prices spike, independent truckers are pulling ever-longer hours to meet the mortgage. The best advice for the rest of us? Driving is most dangerous between 2:00 and 5:00a.m. Avoid it if you can.
