Latest news with #AAAFoundationforTrafficSafety
Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Health
- Buzz Feed
Deadly Vacation Mistake You Might Be Making
Whether you're walking around Disney World, swimming in the ocean or taking a mountain trip, it's needless to say that many vacations — while tons of fun — can also be tiresome. After packing in as much as possible on your days off, exhaustion may set in as you rush back home to prepare for going back to work or school. It's important to be aware of a danger that comes with this: drowsy driving. Defined as driving while sleepy, it's more common than you think. According to a Centers for Disease Control survey, about 1 in 25 adult drivers reported falling asleep while driving within the past 30 days. According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 21% of fatal crashes involved a drowsy driver. So, while you may feel like you're in control and can keep yourself awake, remember that probably everyone in that situation also felt the same. Tiredness can affect your mind and ability to drive in a slew of ways, too, so there's no one way in which an accident will happen. According to Susan Miller, a lead researcher and certified sleep expert at being sleepy can impair your judgment and decision-making, reduce awareness of your surroundings (from cars to road conditions to traffic signals), and affect your coordination, balance and fine motor skills. 'Even a momentary lapse of attention can be dangerous while driving, so prioritizing safety is important,' she added. Jeff Kahn, a sleep expert and the CEO and co-founder of Rise Science, agreed. ' Microsleeps, in particular, are a cause for alarm, as they can last only a few seconds and occur unknowingly,' he said. 'While this might not seem like much, on a highway traveling at 65 miles per hour, those seconds can mean the difference between life and death.' Further, the dangers of driving while sleepy are often compared to the dangers of driving drunk. Kahn said 24 hours worth of sleep deprivation — at once, or accumulated over time — results in the same cognitive impairment equivalent as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.10%, which is higher than the legal limit. And again, he added, it's unsafe to drive even before you reach that point. He pointed to the concept of 'sleep debt,' or not getting enough sleep cumulatively. 'If you regularly miss an hour of sleep for 10 consecutive nights, your cognitive impairment can be as severe as if you hadn't slept for 24 hours straight,' he explained. One of the two time ranges when this occurs may surprise you. According to the Department of Health of New York State, most sleep-related crashes occur between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. So yes, driving in the early morning isn't a great idea, but that 'afternoon slump' period isn't either. This is when bodies are typically the most tired. 'Importantly, these are the times when you're biologically-inclined to be more drowsy, thanks to the peaks and dips of your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock),' Kahn said. 'Your circadian energy dips will happen regardless if you had enough sleep or not, but sleep deprivation will make you feel drowsier at these times than you otherwise would.' Unfortunately, many factors can contribute to this, though some may be more common than others. Here are a few of the most common ones: Not getting enough solid sleep on your vacation 'One of the biggest contributors to drowsy driving is sleep deprivation,' Miller said. 'This can lead to difficulty concentrating, slower reaction times and even falling asleep at the wheel.' While the amount of sleep each person needs will vary, most adults need seven to nine hours a night, she added. (BTW, 'junk sleep,' or low-quality sleep, doesn't count.) A sleep disorder A bigger sleeping issue may be going on, so checking with a doctor is smart. 'Some disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea, cause low-quality sleep as sleep is often interrupted or restricted, thus low-quality and less restorative,' said Nicole Eichelberger, a sleep expert at Mattressive. What's even scarier is that it's not always noticeable. 'Unfortunately, most people who suffer from sleep disorders are unaware,' she continued. 'Therefore, it is essential to seek medical help if you notice excessive daytime sleepiness.' Medications or alcohol Miller also listed alcohol and medications, such as antihistamines or benzodiazepines, as contributors to drowsiness and impaired cognitive function. So if you're enjoying a few cocktails by the pool, for example, be cognizant of this. 'Even small amounts of alcohol and certain drugs can cause drowsiness, poor coordination and slower reaction times, making driving dangerous,' she said. To avoid this, Eichelberger urged reading the side effects listed on the medicines you take, and to avoid driving if drowsiness is listed. When and how long you're driving The time of day and distance matter, too. Many of us road trip to our vacation destinations and often power through the drive in order to get there or get home. 'Driving overnight (which can be tempting to avoid traffic) increases the risk of experiencing sleepiness, even if you think you are well-rested,' said Holly Milling, a clinical psychologist, behavioral sleep medicine specialist and director of The Sleep Practice. 'Driving for long periods of time, at any time of day, is also tiring, and driving without a break can increase vulnerability to sleepiness.' Simply put, you shouldn't drive while sleepy, even if you think you can make yourself stay awake. More specifically, here are some other danger signs these experts listed: Being unable to remember driving for the last few minutes Struggling to focus your eyes and concentrate Drifting into another lane Head bobbing Yawning Feeling easily frustrated Rubbing your eyes or struggling to keep them open Following cars too closely Getting restless or fidgeting Not keeping a consistent speed Braking too late Missing signs and exits 'Even if you don't feel like you'll fall asleep, these signs indicate that your driving ability is impaired and that it's unsafe to continue driving,' Kahn said. What To Do If You're Tired At The Wheel As tempting as it sounds, the answer isn't louder music, colder air or talking to someone. 'The only cure for sleepiness is sleep,' Milling said. Take a short nap While napping in public may feel uncomfortable, it's crucial. You can take a nap at a rest area, gas station or other place you feel safe. And hey, only a short nap is needed. 'Ideally, you should take a 20 to 30 minute nap to feel refreshed, but not so long that you enter a deep sleep cycle and wake up feeling groggy,' Miller said. 'If you're unable to nap, simply resting your eyes or having a break from driving for a few minutes can also be helpful.' Add some caffeine to the mix While caffeine can help, Miller continued, it's a short-term fix and it can't cure severe fatigue. She recommends drinking about 200mg of caffeine (equivalent to a cup of coffee) 30 minutes before getting back on the road. Having a coffee between napping and driving also adds time between waking up and driving, which Kahn said is important. He encourages having that buffer time 'to ensure the post-nap grogginess doesn't affect your driving skills (even if you've only napped for less than 20 minutes).' Combining the two can eliminate mid-afternoon sleepiness for up to an hour, according to a study in the journal Psychophysiology. But again, these experts say a nap comes first and foremost. 'Whether you include caffeine or not, though, the most important ingredient is the nap,' Milling emphasized. 'Never skip sleep in favor of a double espresso.' Exercise Lastly, while it may seem counterintuitive, some movement (along with the nap) can help. 'A short burst of exercise can wake you up and increase your alertness,' Miller said. She encouraged light stretching or a short walk. You could even get some errands done during this time, like walking around the grocery store. Consider other options that will get you home safely If these options feel undoable or aren't cutting it, don't let that deter you. 'Call someone to drive you home or the rest of the way,' Eichelberger urged. 'You can also find a motel [and] rest for the night, or get a cab and head home.' While a Lyft ride or motel stay won't be inexpensive, it is cheaper — and safer — than the alternative. Long-term, Eichelberger recommended maintaining good sleep habits. If you notice excessive fatigue often, she added, consider talking to a sleep doctor so you can avoid car accidents (and various other problems). Being proactive is always smart, too. Milling mentioned not driving if you've been awake for 18+ hours and scheduling breaks every couple of hours, to start. This way, you're less likely to get caught in a drowsy driving situation. While vacations and life can keep us busy, sacrificing sleep isn't a great idea — especially if you're ever behind the wheel. HuffPost.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How this feature helps reduce crashes caused by distracted driving, AAA study
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – In a recent study conducted by AAA, the 'Do Not Disturb' feature on smartphones decreased distracted driving by 41 percent. In Massachusetts, texting while driving was banned in February 2020 as part of the state's 'hands-free' law. Although texting while behind the wheel is banned in almost all 50 states, more than 3,200 people were killed due to distracted driving in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Springfield deadly hit-and-run suspect to due in court In an effort to prevent drivers from receiving notifications while driving, Apple launched the 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' feature in 2017. However, despite the potential to reduce distraction, this feature is not widely used by drivers. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released its findings on why drivers avoid the do-not-disturb feature. They say that misconceptions about how this technology worked, FOMO (fear of missing out), such as missing an important call or text, limit access to features such as music or navigation as well. During the research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, it showed that when the do not disturb feature was activated, it can be effective in reducing smartphone interactions when driving. An on-road study was conducted with participants aged 18-24 who were monitored for 10 weeks, five weeks with no intervention, and five weeks using a smartphone feature. AAA found the following results during the 10-week driving study: Before training: 50% of participants did not know their phone had a DND feature. 85% reported not knowing how to use it. 65% did not know it could be set to turn on automatically when driving was detected. After training: 100% of participants knew their phone had a DND feature, knew how to use it and knew that it could be set to turn on automatically. There was a 41% decrease in smartphone interactions. Participants were 6% less likely to pick up their phone. Opinions of DND features remained unchanged. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
24-04-2025
- Health
- Axios
Driving with COVID linked to higher crash risk
Driving with a case of COVID raised the odds of having a car crash about as much as being at the legal threshold of DUI or running a red light, according to an analysis of pandemic-era public health and transportation records from seven states. Why it matters: Even mild COVID infections can cause "brain fog" and other impairment, affecting a person's ability to concentrate, reason and solve problems. That's cause for warning people with COVID-19 that they should minimize driving, and even having states screen for long COVID at the time of license renewal, author Baran Erdik, a physician and professor at American Vision University, wrote in PLOS Global Public Health. What they found: Driving while infected with COVID, as measured by a PCR lab test, brought a 25% increase in crash risk. That is comparable to the rates associated with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% — or the legal threshold for driving under the influence in many states. It's also consistent with odds linked to habitual speeding or running red lights. Being vaccinated didn't appear to deliver added protection against crashes. Some earlier studies that have linked vaccine hesitancy with a higher risk of accidents. Between the lines: The increase in crash risk was driven by recent infections and not connected to long COVID rates. States that had extended mask mandates like Connecticut were found to have had prolonged periods of lower crash rates. The study drew on crash data from Texas, Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and Washington state from 2020 to 2023 and federal COVID test and positivity rates. The big picture: Multiple studies have examined the pandemic's effects on traffic safety. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety last year found dangerous behavior like speeding, not using seatbelts and impaired driving contributed to a rise in fatal crashes compared with pre-pandemic times. It concluded there was a 17% jump in traffic deaths (nearly 17,000 additional fatalities) between May 2020 and the end of 2022 than would have been expected under pre-pandemic trends. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has suggested that people who continued to drive during the pandemic may have engaged in riskier behavior, including speeding and not wearing seatbelts. While past analyses didn't directly attribute the rise in crashes and fatalities to COVID-19 beyond government-imposed "stay-at-home" orders, they may have correctly identified a trend without recognizing the role of the virus as a contributing factor, Erdik wrote. He told Axios the U.S. typically doesn't require medical clearance for a driver's license, but that a questionnaire at the time of a renewal about whether a person had long COVID would be appropriate.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Insurance apps that track your movement reduce risky driving: Study
DENVER (KDVR) — Smartphone apps monitor a driver's behavior on the road, providing valuable information to both the driver and their insurance carrier. A study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows a significant decrease in risky behavior behind the wheel when a driver knows they are being monitored and being notified of how their driving is putting others at risk. Read the full report here. Denver's Juneteenth Music Festival in urgent need of funding for 2025 event Driver habits also affect how much is paid for insurance coverage. 'It was always a gamble whether having this technology on your phone with a promise that it might save a few bucks, actually saves the insurers money or saves you money,' said AAA spokesperson Skyler McKinley. The study showed up to a 13% reduction in speeding, up to a 21% reduction in hard braking and up to a 25% reduction in rapid acceleration. 'That rapid acceleration, especially in an era of electrified vehicles, (it's) most deadly to pedestrians and bicyclists and others on our roadway,' said McKinley. FOX31 talked to drivers who have different opinions on using tracking apps, which are not required but offered on an opt-in basis. While some say the apps present an opportunity to save money, others are more skeptical. 'I don't think it takes into account how well you drive; basically, it's like looking at this base metric,' said one driver. Consumer experts say it is best to be realistic about whether a monitoring app will be beneficial to you. Psilocybin use rising among adults with mental health conditions: Denver Health study 'If you're historically a driver who's going to break the rules and you think it'll charge you more, probably won't charge more than the maximum until something else happens, which is a crash and then you're definitely paying more,' said McKinley. AAA reports that more than 40,000 people die in crashes caused by risky driving each using an insurance app should ask their carrier about privacy policies regarding how results obtained by the app are used and stored. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Community Focus: Teaching students the risks of driving high
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Alcohol and marijuana are the two substances most often involved in fatal traffic accidents where a driver is impaired. This makes the results of a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety all the more concerning: Of the 2,000 cannabis users surveyed, more than half of them get behind the wheel of a car within one hour of consuming the substance. While recreational cannabis usage is legal in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, driving while high is not. AAA Northeast's Jillian Young joined 12 News at 4 to talk about 'Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving,' a free program for high school health classes that aims to break down misconceptions students have about driving while high. To learn more about the program, visit the Shifting Gears page on AAA Northeast's website. Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
