To bring heightened awareness to the perils of driving while sleep-deprived, the National Sleep Foundation declares November 3-10, 2019 as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week ®. The Foundation’s annual outreach effort aims to reduce the number of drivers who decide to drive sleep-deprived — responsible for more than 6,400 U.S. deaths annually — through accessible research and communications tools.
A poll commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) shows that a total of 97% of those polled see drowsy driving as a threat to safety, with more than 68% considering it to be a major threat. Furthermore, three in 10 Americans reported not knowing how many hours they could be awake without sleep and still drive safely. These findings highlight the need for public education on how to assess one’s alertness and risk of driving while drowsy.