NOVEMBER 5–11, 2023
Recognizing 15 years of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
Sleep First. Drive Alert.®
The National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® encourages everyone to prioritize sleep and drive when they are alert and refreshed. Our goal is to help people get the sleep they need and reduce the number of drivers who choose to drive while sleep deprived.
Together, we can help people drive alert and work to prevent thousands of motor vehicle crashes each year.
Just like drunk, drugged, and distracted driving, drowsy driving is a real public health issue, causing thousands of car crashes each year and killing an estimated 6,400 people in the U.S. alone according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an estimated 100,000 crashes each year are caused primarily by drowsy driving, resulting in more than 71,000 injuries and $12.5 million in damages.
When you drive without adequate sleep, your motor skills are seriously impaired. In fact, we’ll go as far as saying that drivers who’ve only slept 3 to 5 hours in the last 24 hours are unfit to drive. Most people understand it’s risky, but they don’t think about the consequences.
Young drivers (aged 16-25 years) and shift workers are at greatest risk of falling asleep behind the wheel, but most drivers can relate to a time when they have nodded off while driving. Importantly, drowsy driving is preventable.
Get the sleep you need to be alert and refreshed when you drive
Being your Best Slept Self® is important so you can get the sleep you need before you get behind the wheel. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve your sleep health.
Survey results are here.
The results are in, and they’re eye-opening. Read on to get some of the latest statistics about drowsy driving in America.
The best way to prevent drowsy driving is by making sure you are a Best Slept™ driver.
95 percent of Americans think drowsy driving is risky, but a majority of drivers do it anyway
6 in 10 drivers (62%) have driven a car when they were so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open, a projected 150+ million US motorists
37 million motorists are estimated to drive drowsy at least once per year
Almost 2 in 10 drivers (18%) are overly confident in their ability to drive after sleeping only 2 hours or less the previous night
Drivers who get NSF's recommended amount of sleep per night (7-9 hours for most adults) are less likely to drive drowsy
Drowsy driving affects everyone on the road. Download and share the survey infographic with your friends and family.
Drowsy driving is dangerously common—but it is preventable.
You can download our full Drowsy Driving Survey Report below to learn more about the results and how to help prevent drowsy driving.
FROM THE LEADER IN SLEEP HEALTH
Find out more about drowsy driving prevention
Learn how you can prevent drowsy driving by getting the sleep you need to be alert and refreshed behind the wheel.
Jump to a specific topic
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Chapter 1: National Sleep Foundation’s Commitment to Drowsy Driving Prevention
0:00
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Chapter 2: Drowsy Driving and Sleep Health
3:07
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Chapter 3: Industry Insights on Drowsy Driving Prevention
16:07
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Chapter 4: Role of Government & Policymakers in Helping to Combat Drowsy Driving
27:09
Temitayo O. Oyegbile-Chidi, MD, PhD
Chair, Board of Directors, National Sleep Foundation
SLEEP HEALTH TOPICS
Discover more drowsy driving resources.
Read on to learn more about how you can be safer behind the wheel by putting #SleepFirst.
Put Sleep First. Drowsy Driving is Dangerous.
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Staying Alert on the Road after Work
If you work early mornings, late nights, or alternating shifts, you have a higher chance of drowsy driving. When you’re sleep-deprived, your motor functions and reaction time are impaired, which can raise your chances of getting into a crash.
It’s Time to Talk to Teens About Drowsy Driving
Sure, teens get tired of being told what to do. But if you have a teenager who is also a driver, talking about the dangers of drowsy driving is one talk you need to need to have.
What is Microsleep?
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Drowsy Driving vs. Driving Under the Influence
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NSF is proud to recognize our 2022 Drowsy Driving Prevention Week sponsors and collaborators, who are demonstrating their commitment to sleep health and road safety.
2022 Sponsors
2022 Collaborators
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