News

A life of passion cut short by drowsy driving

Sep 27 2017...

Friday morning, December 19, 2014, began as any other day. It had rained during the night and carried over into waking hours. Our daughter, Brianna Cassidy, left the house for work around 7:30 a.m. after her mother fixed her breakfast and saw her off. READ MORE>>

The Tracy Morgan crash could have been avoided with sufficient sleep

Aug 12 2015...

It’s been over a year since a Walmart semi truck crashed into the limo van transporting Tracy Morgan and other comedians on the New Jersey Turnpike. The impact from the 110,000 plus pound truck left Morgan with serious brain trauma, several broken ribs and a broken femur, injured three other passengers and killed Morgan’s comedy writer, James McNair. READ MORE>>

Awake at the Wheel: Drowsy driving infographic

Jan 23 2015...

Every year drowsy driving injures and kills thousands of people on U.S. roads. The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project urges you to refuse to drive when sleep-deprived. Make it a daily priority to get 7 to 9 hours of nightly sleep and learn to detect the signs of drowsiness. Be sure to pull off the road to a safe location if you begin to feel sleepy while driving. Stay safe on the road by staying Awake at the Wheel!

Teens with earlier school start times have higher crash rates

Nov 28 2014...

A new study suggests that teen drivers who start class earlier in the morning are involved in more car accidents than peers with a later school start time.

The study analyzed data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. It compared teen crash rates in two nearby counties during two school years. One county had a high school start time of 7:20 a.m. Classes in the other county began at 8:45 a.m. READ MORE>>

Drowsy driving kills thousands each year on U.S. roads

Nov 03 2014...

A new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that drowsy driving may cause 6,400 fatal crashes on U.S. roads each year. The public release of the report coincides with Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, Nov. 2 – 9, 2014.

Results show that 21 percent of deadly crashes involved a drowsy driver. The results suggest that drowsy driving is involved in 328,000 crashes each year. About 109,000 of these crashes result in injuries. READ MORE>>

Prevent drowsy driving to save teen lives

Oct 24 2014...

Drowsy driving accidents can occur at any age. But data show that the risk of drowsy driving is highest among drivers who are between 16 and 24 years old. The risk of a drowsy driving crash also is 60 percent higher among males than females.

Promoting safe driving is especially important for the health of teens. The CDC reports that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death to teens. Do your part to help teens stay safe on the road by staying “Awake at the Wheel.” READ MORE>>

Stay “Awake at the Wheel” to prevent drowsy driving

Oct 21 2014...

A recent highway accident in New Jersey brought national attention to the dangers of drowsy driving. One person was killed and four others were injured in the crash. Comedian Tracy Morgan was one of the victims who was hurt in the drowsy driving collision. The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project warns that such accidents are a pervasive threat to public health and safety.

Data show that drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 motor vehicle accidents on U.S. roads each year. The CDC estimates that drowsy driving may be a factor in as many as 7,500 fatal crashes annually.The Healthy Sleep Project urges every driver to keep our roads safe by staying “Awake at the Wheel." READ MORE>>

AASM warns against drowsy driving

Jun 12 2014...

A highway collision that left comedian Tracy Morgan in critical condition and killed his mentor is shedding light on the tragic consequences of drowsy driving. Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes and 1,550 deaths on American roads each year.

“Drowsy driving is a threat to personal health and public safety – it’s just as dangerous as drunk driving,” said Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). READ MORE>>

Stay safe this Independence Day and avoid drowsy driving

Jul 03 2013...

AAA Travel is projecting that 40.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday, with 84 percent of travelers planning to travel by automobile. According to a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, an estimated 16.5 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States from 1999 to 2008 involved a fatigued driver.

Fatigue affects everyone and can be defined as the state of exhaustion or tiredness associated with activity, exertion, working too many hours in a row, staying up too many hours in a row or a lack of sleep. READ MORE>>

Why accidents increase after spring forward to daylight savings

Mar 11 2013...

Was traffic noticeably slower on your morning commute? If so, blame daylight saving time. The “spring forward” is believed to cause a temporary spike in traffic incidents. A 1998 Canadian study found that auto accidents may increase as much as 17 percent immediately following the time change.

The authors of the Canadian study argue drowsy driving – rather than the other two factors – is why the frequency of accidents escalates after the time change. The study found the only significant increase in accidents occurred during the afternoon commute. That finding appears to rule out an early sunrise or forgetfulness as the reason for an increase in accidents. READ MORE>>