Over the years, different forms of dangerous driving behaviors have taken the road by storm. As technology gains prominence and gets easier to use anywhere you go, it contributes to more crashes.
But technology is not the only risk to drivers. In fact, there is another risk that is growing at a rate unrivaled by almost any other. This risk comes in the form of drowsy driving.
The population’s acceptance of drowsy driving
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discuss drowsy driving and its fatal impact on society. Over the years, drowsy drivers have caused many injuries and fatalities. As time goes on, this number appears to grow, too.
Experts speculate several different reasons for this. First, drowsy driving has more acceptance among the general populace. Everyone knows that intoxicated driving will net you serious penalties. Because of that, the general consensus remains that intoxicated driving is bad. The same thing is happening to texting while driving. Many campaigns target the behavior, pointing out its ties to fatal crashes.
Drowsy driving, on the other hand, has no targeted legislation stopping it from happening. Measuring a driver’s wakefulness could potentially come off as invasive. Moreover, law enforcement has no way of testing for drowsiness as they would test for intoxication.
Drowsy driving tied to fast paced cultures
Society also grows more fast paced every year. People get less sleep now than ever before. This means more drivers hit the road without feeling well-rested or getting their full 8 to 9 hours of sleep.
Public opinion must change for drivers to see a decrease in drowsy driving crashes and fatalities. The structure of work culture might need some tweaks as well, which makes this a long and difficult battle.
