Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November at 2 a.m. and while ‘falling back’ technically provides an extra hour of sleep, it can also throw off people’s circadian rhythm, resulting in increased drowsiness.
Drowsy driving is impaired driving so it is critical your team understands the importance of being well-rested before getting behind the wheel.
With less daylight in the evening, drivers can also experience fatigue earlier in the day. One report from the Insurance Bureau of British Columbia says there is generally an increase in the average number of collisions during the late afternoon commute in the two weeks following the end of daylight saving time compared to the two weeks prior to the time change.
Why Drowsy Driving Is Dangerous
Most drivers are aware drowsy driving is dangerous but more than 60 percent of U.S. motorists have admitted to driving while fatigued, and nearly 37 percent admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, surveys show.
At highway speeds, a driver who dozes for only four or five seconds can travel more than the length of a football field. During these mirco-sleeps, the driver can cross into oncoming traffic or off the road. Each year, drowsy driving causes about 328,000 crashes, 109,000 injuries and about 6,400 fatalities per year, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Driving while drowsy reduces reaction times, awareness of hazards and the ability to focus. The National Safety Council notes that driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08%, the U.S. legal limit.
The National Sleep Foundation says those who’ve only slept three to five hours in the last 24 hours are unfit to drive.
Data from NSC shows drivers are three times more likely to be in a car accident if they are fatigued. Drowsy drivers’ brains slow down due to lack of sleep, making it harder to perform safe judgments while driving.
Reducing Drowsy Driving
While it can be tempting to stay up later the night before the time change, experts recommend going to bed at your normal time to benefit from that extra hour of sleep.
Getting adequate sleep, around seven to eight hours, on a daily basis is the only true way to protect against drowsy driving.
You can also utilize in-vehicle tech like lane departure warnings or drowsiness alerts that can warn drivers to stay in their lane or take a break.
Drivers often underestimate their drowsiness. Some of the warning signs of drowsy driving include frequent yawning, rubbing your eyes, difficulty keeping your eyes open, drifting from your lane, having trouble remembering the last few miles driven and missing exits.
Empower your team members to speak up as a passenger if they notice any of these signs of drowsy driving. If passengers cannot take over for the tired driver, pulling over to take a 20-30-minute nap or drinking caffeinated beverages can help for a short time.
If you drink coffee but are seriously sleep-deprived, you can still have brief losses of consciousness. If your crews are working longer hours than normal, stress the dangers of drowsy driving to them and how getting enough sleep will allow them to stay alert.
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The post Safety Culture: Mitigate Drowsy Driving After the Time Change appeared first on The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals.