Next to speeding, alcohol and inattentiveness, falling asleep while driving is among the most important factor that causes road crashes. Even though drivers acknowledge falling asleep as an important cause in road accidents, few drivers seem aware of the severity of sleep related accidents.

Falling asleep while driving is unpredictable and sudden. Accidents caused by drivers falling asleep are more likely to kill or cause severe injuries due to evasive action before the collision resulting in greater force of impact.

Drowsy driving is dangerous because when people are unalert, they behave as though they are drunk. Just like drunk drivers, drowsy drivers often over estimate their driving abilities and fail to recognize that they are impaired.

The most common cause of falling asleep while driving is insufficient sleep. The main personal factors that drivers consider to increase the probability to fall asleep are too much wakefulness and not enough sleep over a period of time. Sleep loss has the greatest negative effect on alertness.

The use of medicine that may influence driving skills represents only a minor problem as few drivers use medication.

Falling asleep while driving can cause motor vehicle crashes because it impairs vigilance, attention, reaction time, and information processing of the drowsy driver. Males and young adults between 18 and 29 are at the highest risk for drowsy driving and falling asleep while driving. Adults with children in the household are more likely to drive nodding than those without children while older adults, 65 and over, are the least likely to drive drowsy or to fall asleep at the wheel. There are several signs to indicate fatigue while driving, though many people may not associate the symptoms with fatigue or sleepiness and continue to drive when they should stop. Here are some signs that should tell a driver to stop and rest: Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids; trouble keeping your head up; yawning repeatedly; trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs; drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip. In spite of the driver’s knowledge of the risk and the significance of sleep, most drivers continue driving when recognizing sleepiness when driving. There seems to be a little association between action and knowledge when it comes to measures to prevent sleepiness and falling asleep while driving. If you start to feel spaced out while driving, pull over or if you cannot stop for the night find a well lit area and take a nap. If you have been drinking don’t drive. In addition to being illegal, alcohol makes you sleepy and increases your fatigue.