Do drowsy drivers put you at risk?

Drivers in Pennsylvania share the road with many others. It is impossible to tell how safe these drivers are at a glance. There is no way to tell if drivers are responsible. This unfortunately creates a situation of risk for all drivers on the road. 

Today we will look at the impact drowsy driving has on state roads. We will examine the question: how dangerous is drowsy driving? 

How does the public view drowsy driving? 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention look into drowsy driving risk factors. A big risk ties to the public’s general acceptance of drowsy driving. Many people get up for work early. They are not able to get a full night of sleep. They drive to work while still exhausted. People return home from work tired as well. The later someone’s shift is, the higher the chances are that they did not sleep enough. 

Most people view this as acceptable behavior. They believe that drowsy driving happens and will continue to happen. With this acceptance comes the notion that drowsy driving is relatively “safe”. With so many people admitting they drive when tired, others start to see it as low risk behavior. They believe they can drive drowsy without any repercussions, too. 

The real impact of drowsy driving 

Of course, this is not the case. Drowsy driving caused over 72,000 crashes in 2013 and up to 6,000 fatal crashes a year. People end up lulled into a false sense of security because of skewed statistics. They end up gambling with their lives and the lives of other drivers. 

Efforts to spread awareness of drowsy driving dangers may help cut down on crashes. Until then, all drivers should do their best to avoid this and other risky driving behaviors.