Drowsy driving becoming a real problem

When a semi-truck ran over a stranded pickup on Interstate 10 in Phoenix in May, investigators said ``a fatigued driver" was to blame. Not so unusual, according to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation which found that 36 percent of drivers have nodded off or fallen asleep and 32 percent reporting they drive drowsy at least one to two times per month.

Undiagnosed sleep disorders and sleep deprivation contribute to drowsy driving, according to the Valley Oximetry Sleep Disorders Center in Phoenix.

``Warning signs of drowsy driving would be difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, heavy eyelids, daydreaming, wandering disconnected thoughts, yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes," says Laurie Leadley with the sleep disorder clinic.

She says it's important that everyone gets seven to nine hours of sleep during a 24-hour period and, people who can't manage that, should try to squeeze in a nap.

``Americans nowadays, especially young people -- males more so than females under the age of 26 -- are sleep-deprived or more fatigued and so they are having more drowsy-driving accidents," Leadley says.

Leadley says the way to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel is to ``Start out by getting seven to nine hours of recommended sleep and don't drive if you're sleep deprivated or fatigued. Six hours of sleep or less triples your risk of having a drowsy-driving accident.

If you're on the road with heavy eyes, doing a lot of blinking or missing exits, it's a good bet you don't belong in the driver's seat, Leadley says.

A caffeinated beverage, such as coffee or an energy drink, can promote short-term alertness, but it takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to enter the bloodstream. Take a 15- to 20-minute nap while you're waiting for the caffeine to kick in, she says. And, don't try tricks to stay awake -- like blasting a radio or opening a window -- they don't work.

Researchers recently surveyed 263 students at one Texas university and found that 17 percent admitted they had fallen asleep while driving and more than 2 percent had had accidents associated with falling asleep. However, the findings were based on a limited sample and researchers said more research is needed to determine if this is a national trend. • Drowsy driving