So many times, we hear about disasters on the road in the form of motor vehicle accidents. Now although they may truly be “an accident,” they may also have been avoided if someone was paying just a little more attention!

Sleepy driving, or “Driving While Drowsy,” has become a tremendous problem in our society. Although everyone is extremely aware of this problem, people continue to run the risk and drive drowsy, which is a combination of driving and sleepiness or fatigue.

While typically this occurs when a driver has not had enough sleep, there may be additional circumstances that may also cause this effect, such as: untreated sleep disorders, medications, drinking alcohol, or shift work.

One of the problems in recognizing the symptoms in oneself before it becomes too late, is that no one knows precisely when tiredness will overcome their body. Think about it: do you ever really know the exact time that you fell asleep on any given night? Probably not. We all are very aware that falling asleep at the wheel is clearly dangerous, but not everyone is cognizant of the fact that just being sleepy greatly affects your ability to drive safely even if you don’t fall asleep. Research has determined that more than 70 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disorder, and many are not even aware that they do. What they also don’t realize, is that Driving While Drowsy:

Will clearly cause a driver to be less able to pay attention to the road
Greatly reduces the reaction time if you suddenly have to brake or use corrective steering
Will affect one’s ability to make a clear decisive and immediate decision

Furthermore:

Approximately 1-in-25 drivers 18 years or older have admitted fallen asleep while driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving was responsible for:

72,000 crashes; 44,000 injuries; and 800 deaths in 2013.

However, these figures may be grossly underestimated, and it is believed that possibly up to 6,000 fatal crashes each year may be caused by drowsy drivers, as many times it is difficult to determine if the fatality was a drowsy driver.

In addition, driving while drowsy has also been known to be the cause of:

21% of all crashes
6% of all crashes in which a vehicle was towed from the scene
7% of crashes in which a person received treatment for injuries sustained in the crash
13% of crashes in which a person was hospitalized
Drowsy driving plays a role in an average of 328,000 crashes annually

Who is more likely to drive drowsy:

Drivers who simply do not get enough sleep
Commercial drivers such as those operating tow trucks, tractor trailers, and buses
Shift workers (work the night shift or long shifts)
Drivers with untreated sleep disorders such as sleep apnea
Drivers who use certain medications that cause drowsiness
Drivers who snore
Drivers who slept less than six hours the previous night

What are some warning signs of drowsy driving?

Someone who may yawn or blink frequently.
Lose track of the past few miles driven
Miss your exit
Drifting from your lane into another
Driving over a rumble strip on the side of the road
Having trouble keeping your eyes open and focused
Inability to keep your head up
Daydreaming
Rubbing your eyes
Feeling irritable or restless

If you find yourself or another driver exhibiting this behavior while driving, the most important thing to do is to PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. If possible, change drivers, or rest for an extended period of time.

Other ways to help avoid Driving While Drowsy is to:

Have at least six hours of sleep the night before
- Preferably seven hours
- If a teenager, at least eight hours
Driving at times that you are normally awake
- Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule and develop good sleeping habits
Frequent stops and breaks
Not planning to drive after you have worked all day
Drink beverages containing caffeine
- Caffeine takes approximately 30 minutes to enter the bloodstream, so a half hour nap while waiting for it to take effect works well
Travel with a passenger who is wide awake
Paying attention to your biological clock
- That tells you when you are tired, most alert, and hungry
Avoid driving between midnight and 6:00 AM, and 1:00 and 5:00 PM
Avoid drinking any alcohol
Avoid taking medications that may make you drowsy
- Always read the label on all medications before ingesting
If you find yourself sleepy during the day, or constantly snoring, consult a physician

…and of course, please do not think you are fooling yourself if you hear yourself saying any of these FALSE statements:

As long as I have caffeine, I can drive drowsy
I know when I am about to fall asleep
I am always a safe driver even when I am tired
I am young so I need less sleep

Bottom line is, please do not drive unless you are totally awake, and not impaired by any outside force or substance. As they say in that old-time commercial: “The life you save may be your own.”

Well, Spring is not too far off, and the insurance conventions are beginning to get into full swing! PIA of New York began the year with its annual Metro RAP Conference at The Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan—hundreds of insurance professionals attended a day of networking, education, and visiting with the many vendors during the trade show. The morning education session was a panel discussion, where panelists presented their thoughts pertaining to social media, and its effect (both pro and con) on this thing of ours. In the afternoon, Cathy Trischan, a regular in the insurance education arena, offered ideas pertaining to communication and technology, and how it has created new challenges in errors and omissions. Thank you to Metro RAP Chair Renee McFadden and the entire Metro RAP committee for once again providing a wonderful program in New York!

On April 26^th, PIA of NY will once again host its annual Long Island RAP, at Crest Hollow Country Club, in Woodbury NY. I am again honored to be working with an amazing group of individuals as I chair the committee for this event. Our guest speaker will be NY Islander great Clark Gillies who, combined with some exciting education courses and a sold-out trade show, will surely help make this show another tremendous success…hope to see you there!

Well until next time, be safe and “Ciao for Now!”

Are You Awake?

Michael Loguercio