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Drowsy driving crashes are the most violent, worst type
of crash as there is no braking, no deceleration, and no
avoidance of the crash. Drowsy driving crashes account for
over 20% of the crash causes in New Zealand. They are very
common in the Christmas /New Year period when people become
very tired.
When a driver is ‘sleep deprived’ they
can fall asleep when on the road, any-where and at any-time.
A Micro-sleep is a brief 3 second sleep episode, where
‘your eyes do not have to be shut for your mind to be
asleep’. In a 3 second micro-sleep, when travelling at 100
km/hr your vehicle travels 83 metres, almost the length of a
football field! Microsleeps are responsible for many head on
crashes in New Zealand.
Sleep deprivation results from
poor quality sleep, sleep debt buildup or an undiagnosed
(and hence untreated) sleep medical condition (eg; Sleep
Apnea)
Drowsy driving warning signs include; yawning
frequently, difficulty keeping your eyes open,
Micro-sleeping, head nodding, daydreaming, no memory of the
last few kilometres driven, missed road signs, not aware of
the traffic around you.
Countermeasures include
swapping drivers or pulling over in a safe place and having
a 15 minute Powernap, booking in to nearby accommodation, or
asking a friend to come and collect you. To have a 15 minute
Powernap pull over in a safe place and have a 15 minute
sleep (not more than 20 minutes or you may wakeup feeling
groggy). Wait until at least 10 minutes before driving to
make sure that you are fully awake.
Drowsy driving
crashes are very common mid-afternoon. This coincides with
the combination of ‘biological down-time’, hottest time
of the day, and after lunch.
The AKILLA drowsy driving
educational campaign was set up to educate New Zealanders
about the dangers of drowsy driving. The campaign was
officially launched on May 31st 2005. The day was
acknowledged by Government transport ministers in their new
policy speeches (‘A Planned Educational Strategy’ –
released on the 13th 2006, at Parliament.)
More
educational information, including real life experiences of
drowsy driving are available on the official website at www.akilla.co.nz
© Scoop Media
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