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Shift Work Disorder – Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving

Written by: SFD News on September 22nd, 2009

Shift Work Disorder - Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving | read this item

Just received an email from a Limo driver who is concerned about his Shift Work Disorder and the effects it could have on his driving.

Your eyelids droop and your head starts to nod. Yawning becomes almost constant and your vision seems blurry. You blink hard, focus your eyes and suddenly realize that you’ve veered onto the shoulder or into oncoming traffic for a moment and quickly straighten the wheel. This time you were lucky; next time you could become the latest victim of the tragedy of dowsy driving.

Listen to this shift described in his email:

- He got called into work on Sunday at 4 AM
- He did a total of 10 runs over the next day and a half
- He returned home on Monday at 11:30 PM

He mentioned that he had a couple of ‘cat naps’ – none lasting any longer than 45 minutes.

If you drive for a living, you need to be aware of the effects that Shift Work can have on your driving.

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll, 60% of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37% admit to actually having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year. However, many people cannot tell if or when they are about to fall asleep. And if sleepiness comes on while driving, many say to themselves, “I can handle this, I’ll be fine.” Yet they’re putting themselves and others in danger. What they really need is a nap or a good night’s sleep.

Here are some signs that should tell a driver to stop and rest:

Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
Trouble keeping your head up
Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
Feeling restless and irritable