As we prepare to turn our clocks back an hour at 2 a.m. this Sunday, with the end of Daylight Saving Time, many may rejoice for the extra hour of sleep. However, AAA Kansas is reminding drivers to prepare for potential challenges, such as changes in sleep patterns that may increase chances of drowsy driving, and shorter days that mean driving home in the dark.
Drowsy Driving Dangers
Previous research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety showed that an estimated 17.6% of all fatal crashes in years 2017–2021 involved a drowsy driver. Over the 5-year study period, an estimated 29,834 people were killed in crashes that involved drowsy drivers.
“While many will enjoy an extra hour of sleep this weekend, drivers may not realize the added dangers that can come as the result of a time change,” said Shawn Steward, Public Affairs Manager for AAA Kansas. “This one hour shift during the fall not only creates darker driving conditions, it can also interrupt sleep patterns, potentially resulting in drowsy driving episodes.”
Symptoms of drowsy driving can include having trouble keeping eyes open, drifting from lanes or not remembering the last few miles driven. However, more than half of drivers involved in fatigue-related crashes experienced no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel.
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2020 Traffic Safety Culture Index data shows that most motorists (95 percent) identify drowsy driving as very or extremely dangerous. Yet, despite high rates of perceived danger and personal/social disapproval regarding drowsy driving, about 17 percent of drivers admit to having driven while being so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open, at least once in the past 30 days.
Additional AAA Foundation research findings:
- Drivers who have slept for less than 5 hours have a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.
- Drivers who miss one to two hours of sleep can nearly double their risk of a crash.
While the signs of drowsiness should never be ignored, drivers must not wait for their bodies to sound the alarm. AAA recommends the following drowsy driving tips.
Tips to Avoid Drowsy Driving
- Get plenty of sleep – at least 7 hours a night
- Travel at times of the day when you are normally awake
- Avoid heavy foods
- Avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment
For longer trips, drivers should:
- Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles.
- Travel with an alert passenger and take turns driving.
- Pull into a rest stop and take a quick catnap — at least 20 minutes and no more than 30 minutes of sleep – to help to keep you alert on the road.
Tips for Nighttime Driving
- Reduce speed and increase following distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicles’ speeds and distances at night.
- Turn on headlights to see better during dawn and dusk and to be more visible to other drivers.
- Make sure headlights, tail lights and signal lights are working properly
- Keep lights and car windows (inside and out) clean for best visibility
- Have headlights properly aimed. If not properly aimed, headlights will blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
- When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beams so you don’t blind the driver ahead of you.
Focus on Clear Vision
According to a new AAA survey, more than 6 in 10 U.S. drivers rely on prescription eyewear behind the wheel, but a notable 37% hadn’t had a vision test or eye exam in over a year or longer. Younger drivers, aged 18-54, were particularly likely to have missed recent eye exams, with only 53% having had one within the past year.
AAA encourages all drivers to prioritize their eye health and ensure they have up-to-date prescriptions. Regular eye exams play a crucial role in identifying potential vision problems and ensuring safe driving conditions. With the visibility changes and challenges that come with Daylight Saving Time’s end, AAA recommends that drivers should:
- Compensate for reduced visibility by decreasing your speed and increasing the following distance to four or more seconds behind the car in front of you.
- Keep your eyes moving. Do not focus on the middle of the area illuminated by your headlights. Watch for sudden flashes of light at hilltops, around curves, or at intersections, as these may indicate the presence of oncoming vehicles.
- Look at the sides of objects. In dim light, focus on the edges or outlines of objects. Your eyes can pick up images more sharply this way than by looking directly at the object.
- Avoid being blinded by oncoming high beams. If the driver of an oncoming vehicle fails to dim the lights, look down toward the right side of the road. You should be able to see the edge of the lane or the white-painted edge line and stay on course until the vehicle passes.
Dangers to other Roadway Users
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nationwide, there were 684 deaths from drowsy-driving-related crashes in 2021. Tired drivers are not as focused and are at risk of being distracted.
First responders, construction workers, and people stranded with a vehicle breakdown on the side of the road are especially vulnerable to drivers who are not paying attention and are in greater danger of being hit. Almost 2,000 people were killed outside of the vehicle, in roadside crashes over the five-year period from 2017-2021, and nearly 1,500 – more than 75% of those deaths occurred after dark, according to data* analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. This is important always, at all hours, but it is even more critical, as the days grow shorter and it gets dark earlier.
“This data is extremely troubling, especially with the darkest days of the year ahead, and serves as a reminder for drivers to Slow Down and Move Over when they see first responders, tow truck drivers and others with emergency lights flashing at the roadside,” said Steward. Nearly 25 states have Move Over laws that also include motorists dealing with disabled vehicles.
In addition to driver dangers, pedestrians are also particularly vulnerable as the sun sets earlier. In 2021, 76% of pedestrians were killed in collisions that occurred when it was dark, with another 4% occurring during dusk or dawn, according to NHTSA.
“Pedestrians should also be mindful that motorists may not always see them at night or in the morning and late afternoon as drivers fight sun glare,” said AAA’s Steward. “Pedestrians need to do their part by wearing bright colors and crossing at intersections or corners, which increases their visibility to motorists.”
Tips for Pedestrians and Bicyclists
- Cross at intersections or corners. Do not cross in the middle of the street or between parked cars.
- Evaluate the distance and speed of oncoming traffic before you step out into the street. Remember, during inclement weather, a vehicle needs extra time and distance to stop.
- Avoid walking in traffic where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks. If you have to walk on a road that does not have sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
- Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if you are walking or biking near traffic at night. Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.
- Bicycle lights are a ‘must have’ item for safe night riding, especially during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.
- Do not let umbrellas or jacket hoods block your view of approaching traffic.
- Avoid listening to music or use only one earbud so you can hear danger approaching.
Tips to Protect Roadside Workers, Stranded Drivers
- Remain alert, avoid distractions, and focus on driving.
- Keep an eye out for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility service vehicles, or disabled vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.
- When you see these situations, slow down and, if possible, move one lane over and away from the people and vehicles stopped at the side of the road.
