The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week will run Sunday, November 1st, through Saturday, November 7th, to encourage citizens to unite, prioritize sleep, and drive only when alert and aware.
“The end of Daylight Saving Time offers an opportunity to bring a lesser-recognized behavioral driving issue to light,” said Governor’s Representative for Highway Safety and Executive Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Lisa Freeman. “For example, over 60% of adults in the U.S. report driving drowsy. Those adults who are also parents drive drowsy 70% of the time, with parents of teenagers and multiple children most likely to get behind the wheel while sleep-deprived.”
“Family members take care of each other, it’s just our way in Louisiana. Something else Louisianans do well is looking out for other families in our communities because they are our friends and neighbors,” Freeman said. “To reduce drowsy driving, families can share vehicles and coordinate trips to minimize effects of sleep deprivation. Also, families should prioritize sleep and communicate openly when a household driver has experienced poor sleep. When one member is sleep-deprived, the safety of the entire household can be at risk.”
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week's goal is to help people get the sleep they need and reduce the number of drivers who choose to drive while sleep-deprived. The National Sleep Foundation leads this national campaign. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults sleep 7-9 hours at night to drive alert. Getting less than 4 hours of sleep increases the risk of a crash as much as a blood alcohol content level of roughly 0.12%.
More information is available at www.thensf.org
