Get more sleep. Have another cup of coffee before you drive
to school or work. It could save your life.
A 100-car naturalistic driving study conducted by the
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has shown that fatigue is a cause of 20
percent of crashes, rather than the 2 or 3 percent previously estimated based
on surveys, simulator studies, and test tracks.
And 18- to 20-year-olds account for significantly more
fatigue-related crashes than any other age group. Adolescents’ sleep patterns
shift to later hours; however, the school day still tends to start early,
resulting in daytime sleepiness. Older drivers can face similar issues with
late nights and early work times, but have more experience coping with moderate
fatigue – although, not always.