Shift workers and teens who have been identified as the populations most vulnerable to drowsiness-related highway crashes, are targets of programs to combat the problem.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – collaborating with the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) at the National Institute of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute – conservatively estimates that 40,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities annually are attributable to drowsy drivers.
"As our culture moves to a 24-hour/7-day-a-week operation and the number of shift workers and teens continues to climb, the problem could worsen if changes are not made now," said NHTSA Administrator Ricardo Martinez, MD. "NHTSA, with NCSDR, is leading the way to tackling this potential problem early on."
The report describes the results of collaborative efforts for the development of science-based education and information materials and programs. NHTSA's program targets shift workers and young males, particularly those who take long trips like military leave or school vacations, while the NCSDR is focusing on school-aged youth.
The report to Congress, entitled "The NHTSA & NCSDR Program to Combat Drowsy
Driving: A Report to Congress on Collaboration Between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR)," is available on NHTSA's website at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
The complete press release can be found at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/news/alerts.htm
