Four Percent of US Adults Admit to Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel - East Idaho News
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Four Percent of US Adults Admit to Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel

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Thinkstock 070314 DrowsyDriver?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1404423019457iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday indicated that 4.2 percent of adults surveyed admitted to dozing off while driving within the previous month.

Previous reports have suggested that drowsy driving may be a factor in as many as 7,500 fatal motor vehicle crashes each year, about 25 percent of all fatal crashes in the U.S. The CDC report also showed that drowsy driving was more common among drivers who engaged in other risky driving behaviors such as binge drinking and failure to wear a seatbelt.

The CDC has previously labeled motor vehicle injury prevention as one of its 10 “winnable battles,” noting that such crashes are frequently caused by risky driving behaviors.

The CDC says that law enforcement strategies designed to reduce drowsy driving, drinking and driving, and driving without a seatbelt are needed. In particular, the agency recommends interventions be aimed at men aged 18-24, who were in the highest risk group for all three risky behaviors studied.


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