PennDOT Warns of Drowsy Driving Ahead of Daylight Savings Time
03/11/2022
In advance of Daylight
Savings Time, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is
reminding motorists of the risks associated with drowsy driving.
Daylight Savings
Time, which begins at 2:00 AM Sunday, March 13, 2022, requires residents to
move clocks ahead by one hour. PennDOT recommends drivers plan ahead for the
change by ensuring they get ample sleep before getting behind the wheel of a
vehicle.
“The dangers of
driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol are well known, but many
people don’t realize that drowsy driving can lead to the same level of
impairment,” said Geoffrey Crankshaw, a Traffic Safety Specialist with the
Erie County Department of Health.
Being awake for 18
hours impairs your driving as much as a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent,
while being awake for 24 consecutive hours is the equivalent to a blood
alcohol level of 0.10 percent.
Fatigue can
negatively affect a driver’s reaction time, judgment, attention, and vision,
while also making it more difficult to understand and remember things.
According to PennDOT
data, there were 1,881 crashes in Pennsylvania in 2020 involving a drowsy or
asleep driver, resulting in 11 fatalities.
The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration says drowsy-driving crashes most commonly occur
between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM, or late in the afternoon. During both times of
the day, people experience dips in the human body’s internal clock that regulates
sleep.
PennDOT recommends
the following tips to avoid drowsy driving:
- Get adequate sleep on a daily basis;
- Check prescription and over-the-counter medication labels to see if drowsiness is a side effect;
- Use public transportation, when possible; and
- Avoid driving during peak sleepiness periods. If you must drive during these times, be aware of signs of drowsiness, such as crossing over the roadway lines or hitting a rumble strip.
MEDIA CONTACT: Saxon Daugherty, 814-678-7095
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