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Drowsy Driving – A Police Perspective

Written by: Mary Gibbons on September 3rd, 2009

Drowsy Driving - A Police Perspective | read this item

An excellent perspective from Paul Calder over at the Amherst Citizen about the dangers of Drowsy Driving.

Here are couple of excerpts:

“Drowsy drivers” exhibit many of the same impairments as drunk drivers: slower reaction times, poor judgment, hindered vision, sluggishness and inattention.

The report goes on to say that so-called drowsy drivers tend to be more susceptible to serious injury and death than impaired drivers because they make no attempt to slow down or avoid the impact.

When you arrive at a crash scene and the road is perfectly straight, dry and in good repair, accompanied by a perfectly clear day or night, you have to ask why.
Shift workers, commercial and long-haul drivers, as well as those with sleeping disorders such as apnea, are all particularly vulnerable to falling asleep at the wheel.
Two other groups I have dealt with first hand are young drivers (particularly young men) and business travelers, or those with jet lag.

The first group falls into that segment whom, due to inexperience or energy, feel they are up to the challenge. There have been several cases wherein this has proven incorrect, with disastrous consequences. Falling asleep at the wheel combined with occupants not wearing seatbelts often results in a fatality.