END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS INCREASES RISK OF DROWSY DRIVING

Tips from National Road Safety Foundation to recognize drowsiness and stay awake at the wheel

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When we move our clocks back an hour this weekend as daylight savings time ends, the risk of drowsy driving increases.

"As daylight savings ends, we do more driving in the dusk and dark, and that's when more crashes occur," said Michelle Anderson of the National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit group that produces free driver safety materials used in schools and by parents nationwide. The change in time also can cause drowsiness, she noted.

More than 60 percent of U.S. motorists have driven while fatigued, and nearly 37 percent admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, surveys show. At highway speeds, a driver who dozes for only four or five seconds can travel more than the length of a football field, crossing into oncoming traffic or off the road.

Drowsy driving is especially common among teens, who tend to keep late hours and think they can function on minimal sleep. Ironically, experts say, teens require more sleep than adults – eight to nine hours each night for teens versus seven to eight for adults. 

Anderson cites National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that say an estimated 100,000 crashes each year are caused by drowsy driving, and AAA estimates that 21 percent of fatal crashes involve driver fatigue.

The National Road Safety Foundation urges drivers to be alert to these signs of drowsiness while driving:

• Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, rubbing eyes
• Daydreaming or not remembering the last few miles driven
• Head snaps and yawning
• Drifting out of your lane, tailgating or hitting rumble strips

If you experience any of these warning signs, find a safe place to pull over and take a break. Have a cup of coffee or a caffeinated snack or take a 20-minute nap. Allow 30 minutes for caffeine to enter your bloodstream. Some common remedies like blasting the radio or opening the car windows are not effective at avoiding drowsiness while driving.

Fatigue can cause 'micro-sleeps' lasting several seconds, which have devastating results when driving. "We've seen too many examples of people trying to make it those last few miles when fatigued, only to crash a few blocks from home," said Anderson. "Don't try to tough it out."

Anderson also encourages passengers to speak up if they are with a driver who seems fatigued. "Speaking up about risky driving behavior, whether it's drowsiness or speeding or distraction can save lives," she said.

NRSF has free programs on drowsy driving, including "Almost Home," a compelling 18-minute video, as well as a drowsiness self-assessment quiz and a personal sleep log. Download at https://www.nrsf.org/resources/drowsy-driving

The National Road Safety Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization founded more than 60 years ago, produces traffic safety programs on distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving, driver proficiency, pedestrian safety and other traffic safety issues. It distributes its programs free of charge to schools, police and traffic safety advocates, community groups and individuals. It also sponsors contests to engage teens in promoting safe driving to their peers and in their communities, partnering nationally with leading youth advocacy groups FCCLA, Impact Teen Drivers, and Teens in the Driver Seat.

Contact: David Reich  914-325-9997
              [email protected]

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SOURCE The National Road Safety Foundation