When sleep decreases, your overall risk increases.
“Coming up on the 6:00 news. A fatality on our roads today as the driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel . . . “
Their annual summer vacation was all but over and the Brown’s were driving down the highway. They were on their way back home, the kids all safe and fast asleep in the back seat. Suddenly, a truck on the opposite side of the highway swerved into the ditch and continued to roll a dozen times before completely stopping just short of a telephone pole.
The Browns were shocked and the next morning made a point of scanning the paper to determine the fate of the occupants in the vehicle. The paper reported the lone inhabitant was pronounced dead at the scene and the crash was a result of the driver falling asleep at the wheel.
A major cause of accidents is impaired sleep. Plain and simple. Carelessness and fatigue resulting from sleep loss play a huge factor in far more disasters than ever get reported on. When polled, more than one-third of all people who said they have driven while drowsy, indicated they have fallen asleep at the wheel.
It comes as no surprise to learn that lack of sleep alters emotions and moods. What may be a surprise to learn is sleep deprived individuals compared to someone under the influence of alcohol – have similar reaction times. Recently a study showed more than half of all road accidents are committed by sleep deprived individuals.
Your reaction time and attentiveness are affected by inadequate amounts of sleep. An estimated twenty percent of all workplace related injuries transpire because of a person’s sleepiness. Accidents in the workplace result in financial burdens affecting corporations, society, the health care system and the individual.
You get behind the wheel when you are tired and you don’t think twice about it. Driving while sleepy sounds harmless enough. Going about your day when you are a little tired doesn’t appear to be hurting anyone. The truth is – it’s hazardous and risky. Sleepiness is a liability that doesn’t discriminate. It impairs your reaction time, your mental and physical ability and your capacity to make judgments and process information.
For more information and to make an appointment call, Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website smilesbygeorge.com
As seen on SleepDallas.com
Dr. George Kirtley welcomes patients from Spring Hill, Beech Grove and Warren Park