Americans like to work hard and play hard. The trouble with this kind of approach to life is that it must be accompanied by a tendency to properly rest up from all that play and all that work. Most Americans are not prone to “rest hard” lest precious time be taken away from work and play. The consequences of this kind of imbalance are numerous, and can include health problems. In addition, it can lead to a staggering prevalence of drowsy driving behaviors among motorists.
In recent years, driver fatigue has taken center stage in numerous media profiles, regulatory investigations and safety campaigns aimed specifically at one population in particular. Fatigue among commercial truck drivers has led to an outcry among reporters, law makers and safety advocates quite simply because drowsy commercial drivers tend to inspire devastating truck accidents. However, truck drivers are not the only travelers inspiring fatigue-related hazards.
Fatigue regularly contributes to aviation accidents, train accidents and car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving contributes to thousands of accidents on American roads annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drowsy drivers likely contribute to roughly 25 percent of all fatal car accidents which occur in the United States.
You may play hard. You likely work hard. Please take the time to rest properly. Failure to do so cannot only lead to personal health problems, it can heighten your risk of contributing to a fatal or injurious accident. And no time saved sleeping less is worth that kind of consequence.
Source: The Legal Examiner, “CDC Report Estimates Drowsy Driving Causes 25 Percent of Fatal Crashes,” Eric T. Chaffin, Aug. 1, 2014
