Drowsy Driving

Drowsy Driver

GHSA Policy

Click here to view GHSA's Policy and Priorities on Drowsy Driving.

Research shows that nearly 83.6 million sleep-deprived people are in the workplace, at school or driving on the road. A drowsy driver is a dangerous driver for a variety of reasons: Lack of sleep slows reaction time, impairs judgment and situational awareness, and increases lapses in attention and risk-taking – all skills necessary for safely operating a vehicle.

According to NHTSA, from 2009 to 2013, more than 72,000 police-reported crashes involved tired drivers, but it is agreed that drowsy driving is significantly underreported. The number of fatalities involving a drowsy driver was 775 (2.1% of total fatalities) in 2018.1

The National Road Safety Foundation

GHSA partners with the National Road Safety Foundation to support innovative state approaches that address the pressing issue of drowsy driving through a competitive grant program. Grantee efforts have included projects enhancing public awareness campaigns, law enforcement training, outreach to fatigue-prone demographics of drivers and more. Further information about this partnership is available here.

1 National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2019, October). 2018 fatal motor vehicle crashes: Overview. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 826). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Laws

Currently only two states, New Jersey and Arkansas, have laws addressing drowsy driving.

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