Safe Holiday Driving

BINGHAMTON, NY - The upcoming holiday season brings the added stresses of shopping, parties, traveling, increased business and semester workloads. More people are in a hurry and on the roads, doing a lot of driving. At this time of year, don't underestimate the importance of being a safe driver. "Being a sleep-deprived, alcohol-impaired or distracted driver can turn celebration into tragedy in a few seconds," said Mary McFadden, Supervising Public Health Educator of the Broome County Health Department.

People have a greater tendency to fall asleep while driving on long, uninteresting stretches of road that are characteristic of many high-speed, rural highways. The New York State Police estimate that 30 percent of all fatal crashes along the New York State Thruway occurred because the driver fell asleep at the wheel. The economic costs are immense. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that these crashes represent $12.5 billion in monetary losses each year.

A 2002 National Sleep Foundation poll found that half of America's adult drivers - 51 percent, or approximately 100 million people are on the roads feeling drowsy while they drive. A recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety identified lifestyle factors that contribute to drowsy driving. People who hold more than one job, who get six hours or less of sleep, or who drive between midnight and 6 a.m. are at significantly higher risk of a drowsy driving crash.

WHO IS MOST AT RISK FOR DROWSY DRIVING?

Young Adults - 16-24 year old young adults get less sleep than any other age group. This leads to a sleep deficit that puts young adults at high risk for driving while drowsy.

Truck Drivers (Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers) - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that 31 percent of commercial driver deaths and 58 percent of single-truck crashes are fatigue related.

Shift Workers Shift Workers - Shift work is not natural. A person's biological clock is naturally attuned to sleep during the night.

The following tips will help you stay awake to stay alive:

• On long trips, take a passenger who will stay awake while you drive.
• Schedule regular stops every two hours or 100 miles.
• Recognize signs of fatigue: drifting from your lane, hitting rumble strips, repeated yawning, difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open, tailgating or missing road signs.
• If you feel drowsy while on the road, pull off into a safe area and take a brief nap (15-45 minutes).
• Drink a caffeinated beverage to promote short-term alertness (it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream).

Before you travel, get a good night's sleep - at least 8 hours for adults and 8 ½ - 9 ½ hours for teens. Make sure to plan rest stops. "Turning up the radio volume and rolling down the window do NOT keep you awake. The only cure for drowsiness is sleep," McFadden said.

Another serious driving safety issue is distracted driving. Many people engage in activities while driving - talking on the phone, eating, shaving, reading, putting on makeup or scolding children. An estimated 25-50 percent of vehicle crashes each day are caused by distracted drivers, according to a study by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), a nationwide coalition of government and corporate entities working toward reducing motor vehicle crashes. Driving is a serious responsibility; it demands your full, undivided attention.

Here are some tips for keeping your mind on the road:

• If something seems hazardous to do while driving, don't do it.
• Drive defensively, and be prepared for the unexpected. Crashes occur when you least expect them. One way to avoid crashes is to leave at least one car's length of space, for every ten miles an hour speed, between your car and the car in front of you.
• If you need to read a map, pull over to the side of the road, a rest area or parking lot.
• Place any items that you may need driving such as tissues or toll money, in a safe spot within arm's length. This will minimize the distraction when you reach for them.
• Activities such as a personal grooming and reading should not be done while driving.

Just as serious is driving while alcohol-impaired. "In 2001, nearly 16,000 Americans died in motor vehicle crashes caused by impaired driving," McFadden said. A driver's judgment and reaction time becomes impaired with only one alcoholic beverage, whether it is liquor, wine or beer. "Only the passage of time metabolizes alcohol in the body and sobers a person - not coffee, a cold shower, fresh air or physical activity," she said.

If you are hosting a party, help your guests get home safely.

• Offer non-alcoholic beverages such as fruit juices or soft drinks.
• Serve food with alcohol. High protein and carbohydrate foods such as cheese and meats are especially good, because they slow the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol.
• Stop serving alcoholic beverages about two hours before the party is over. Your guests will then have time to absorb any alcohol they've consumed.
• Arrange for transportation for guests that have had too much to drink.

Make safe driving an important part of your holiday activities. To help keep your holiday travels safe, get plenty of sleep, focus on the road, and never drink and drive. For more information on safe holiday driving, call Luke Davis at the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.2807.

CONTACT:
Mary McFadden Supervising Public Health Educator,
Broome County Health Department, 607.778.3929
email: mmcfadden@co.broome.ny.us

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