driving without sleep enough can be very dangerous. As much as under the influence of alcohol. Although there is a difference between the two facts. The number of road traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers has significantly decreased in recent years, while in the other case there is no difference.
It’s because information campaigns about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol were justified. There are two measures in particular that work. On the one hand, the increasingly outspoken publicity about the consequences of traffic accidents. And, on the other hand, control, in which random tests of drivers are carried out.
Unfortunately, there are practically no campaigns on the site. effects of fatigue while driving. Also, it’s not something that can be measured with something as simple as a breathalyzer. And also keep in mind that this is not an option that drivers can choose. That is, we may decide not to drink before driving, but we may not always decide to get a good night’s sleep. That being said, this is a more serious problem than it seems, as a group of Australian scientists has well explained in both the study and the article for Talk.
The dangers of driving without enough sleep
For driving, no matter how mechanical it may seem to us, it is important that we have all our feelings on the road. But, unfortunately, it is difficult if we do not get enough sleep.
According to the Spanish General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), drowsiness directly or indirectly affects 15% to 30% of traffic accidents. The same percentage was dropped by the Australian Automobile Association, which notes that approximately 20% of car accidents They are associated with fatigue. Except National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationn (NHTSA, in English) in the United States, it has been estimated that 50,000 people are injured each year due to sleep-related problems.
All this is due to several reasons, according to DGT. Let’s start with the fact that when driving in a sleepy state, we reduce reaction time in the face of danger, so it’s more likely that we’ve had an accident. Also concentration decreases and hence distractions increase. Except, decisions are made more slowly and more errors.
On the other hand, the muscles are more relaxed and movements slower for example, when turning the steering wheel or pressing the pedals. This results in actions becoming more auto and difficult to respond to unforeseen situations.
We also cannot forget that altered feelings and perceptions. This, added to certain behavior changesit can be very dangerous.
And finally, it is possible that micro dreams. In fact, according toi Harvard Medical School, 250,000 drivers fall asleep every day. This, logically, could be fatal.
Not easy to find solutions
The driver’s alcohol level can be easily measured. However, there is no way to analyze how much you slept. Just in case there accident, you can analyze the driver’s situation and decide if drowsiness was the cause. In fact, some countries have passed laws in this regard.
For example, in New Jersey, in the United States, they have Maggie Lowe. This establishes that a person is not allowed to drive a car if he has slept 0 hours during the last 24 hours. However, there are those who believe that this is too permissive a law that would exempt anyone who slept at least one hour.
It has been proven that if you fall asleep less than 4 hours, the probability of an accident increases up to 15 times. On the other hand, the risk doubles if you sleep. between 4 and 5 o’clock for those who got enough sleep before driving.
It is clear that solutions need to be sought. But it’s not easy. What about people with insomnia, kids who wake up crying, or people who work at night? The solution is difficult, but you should try to find it. At least as far as possible, the phrase “if you drink, don’t drive” should be expanded to “if you didn’t sleep well either.”
Source: Hiper Textual
