Study Shows Texans Worst Offenders At Driving While Sleepy
By: Meredith Hillgartner
Updated: January 7, 2013
"If you are going up to your car and your fixing to get in it and you go, 'Wow I'm kind of sleepy,' ...DON'T," Rose said. "It is very detrimental. 16 hours of sleep deprivation can basically make it as if you are driving while drunk ."
A new study released by the Center for Disease Control said Americans are not getting enough sleep, and Texans top that list.
"I don't see why it would be any different here in Texas than anywhere else," Rose said. "You think it would actually be a little worse in the northern states where they have less light during the day, and that those people would be sleepier, but I don't think there is a study that shows that."
Dr. Christopher Rose is a sleep specialist in Lubbock.
He said most of the people who are driving drowsy-don't know they are doing it.
"You look at the sheer numbers people who drive while sleepy and they think it is ok to drive while sleepy or they don't know that they are sleepy," Rose said.
The study says 3% of fatalities occur because of drowsy drivers. KTXS in Abilene reported a crash Sunday morning off Highway 180 where a New Home man and his cousin were killed because their driver fell asleep at the wheel.
"If you have ten or fifteen minutes, then yes a ten or fifteen minute nap might be enough to get you where you need to go, without having a bad accident or something because of your sleepiness," Rose said.
He said it is not only important for your safety to get some sleep, but it might keep you out of trouble with the law.
"The law does [cover] impaired driving," Rose said. "So anything that impairs your driving, which included sleepiness."
Rose said if you are feeling sleepy while driving you should contact your physician to find out why.
