DROWSY DRIVING

Who Is At Risk

No one is immune – all of us are at risk for driving tired or being harmed by someone who is driving while sleepy. Dog competitors will often stay up late to prepare for an event and rise early to get on the road, thereby sacrificing needed sleep. After a long weekend competition participants often drive late into the night so they can be at work the next morning. As a result, many drive to and from events in a sleep-deprived state putting themselves, their passengers (including dogs) and others around them at risk.


Those of us who are sleep deprived due to our lifestyle or an untreated sleep disorder have an increased risk of being involved in a crash:


  1. •Drivers who start a trip with less than 6 hours of sleep triple their chances of a sleep-related crash

  2. •Those who work more than 60 hours a week increase their risk by 40%

  3. •Rotating shift and night workers are 6 times more likely to be in a drowsy driving accident

  4. •Drivers with untreated sleep apnea are at 7 times greater risk


  6. •Young people - especially males under 25 years old - are 3 to 4 times more probable to be in a sleep-deprived accident

For more information visit the National Sleep Foundation: Who’s At Risk