Fewer, sleepier drivers on road

By Tammy Joyner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Seems the recession has taken its act on — or off — the road, depending on how you look at it.

Take a look at the drowsy driver next to you. Behind you. Or in front of you. Chances are she’s putting in longer hours at work due to layoffs or she’s on her way to a second job or working the graveyard shift. Workplace disruption brought on by recession means a lot more exhausted and stressed-out workers on the road fighting to stay awake.

The good news: While we’re bobbing and weaving our way to work, there are fewer of us on the road nowadays, a byproduct of the recession and the run-up of gas prices a year ago.

The less-congested roads have cut the number and severity of crashes and death, according to Bob Dallas, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Atlanta.

“People aren’t driving as fast,” Dallas surmises.

As for the drowsy drivers? It’s hard to get a handle on how many are out there. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that drowsy driving accounts for 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths each year.

Sleepy drivers are one of the greatest risks to roadway safety, says Dr. Chris Drake, a clinical psychologist at Henry Ford Hospital’s Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit. Drake has done extensive research on exhausted drivers’ reaction time and their abilities to focus on common tasks such as driving.

“We’re seeing a lot more people coming in with insomnia symptoms,” Drake said. “One of the most common reasons for chronic insomnia are stressful events, and the top of the list is financial strain.”