Roughly 4% of Drivers Fall Asleep at the Wheel Each Month

A recent study from the CDC finds that roughly 1 in 25 drivers has fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in the last month ...

The study found those most at risk for having accidents while driving drowsy are those under 25, males, people who binge drink, people who don't wear seat belts, folks with sleep problems, and, not surprisingly, those who regularly sleep less than five hours a night, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About 4 percent, or one in 25 people, reported falling asleep while driving in the month before the survey," said lead author Anne Wheaton, a CDC epidemiologist. The problem is worse among people who sleep less than they should. In fact, most drowsy driving occurs early in the morning or late at night "when your body is telling you, you should be in bed," Wheaton said.

Also noted is the fact that even if the operator of a motor vehicle didn't fall asleep at the wheel, just being drowsy is enough to deaden the reflexes when they are needed most. These driving "conditions" are covered in our Sleep Improvement Profiler - take the quiz now to find out if you have potentially dangerous sleep issues, and how we can help.