Report: Drivers missing 1-2 hours of sleep twice as likely to crash
(KMSP) - A new report from AAA suggests drivers who only sleep five to six hours a night are twice as likely to crash as drivers who get the recommended seven hours daily.
The study, conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, revealed that in a 24-hour period, the crash risk for sleep-deprived drivers increased steadily when compared with drivers who slept for seven hours or more. Drivers who slept for five hours or less were found to be four times as likely to crash – a crash risk comparable to driving drunk.
Drowsy driving is a factor in one in five fatal crashes on U.S. roadways every year, AAA says.
“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel,” Dr. David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety said in a statement.
More information on the crash can be found here.