Cornell University also has a drowsy driving site at http://www.drowsydriving.cornell.edu filled with "Drowsy Driving Basics for College Students." There, the site notes, "Drowsy driving refers, of course, to drivers who actually fall asleep at the wheel. But it also includes those drivers who are so fatigued that they are slow to perceive risky situations and unable to respond quickly enough to avoid a crash."

It goes on to provide some tips for preventing drowsy driving, as noted by the NSF, which include:

• Get a good night's sleep. The average person requires about 8 hours of sleep a night. Plan to drive during times of day when you are normally awake and stay overnight rather than traveling straight through.
• Avoid driving during your body's "down time." Take a mid-afternoon break and find a place to sleep between midnight and 6 a.m.
• Get a companion for a long trip. Passengers can talk with you, help look for early warning signs of fatigue and provide a change of drivers when needed. If you don't have a companion, try organizing a carpool via a campus ride board.
• Schedule regular stops every 100 miles or two hours.
• Avoid alcohol and medications that may impair performance. Alcohol interacts with fatigue; increasing its effects—just like drinking on an empty stomach.
• Consult your physician or a sleep disorders center for diagnosis and treatment if you suffer frequent daytime sleepiness, have difficulty sleeping at night often, and/or snore loudly every night.

Before your student climbs in a car after this busy, often sleepless month, alert him to the dangers that drowsy driving may have for him and others this holiday season. And be aware of the dangers yourself, should you head off to pick up your student after a busy workweek. Caution is key.

Danger Signs on the Road

If these things occur, students should get off the road immediately before they fall asleep and/or get into a drowsy driving crash:

• experience wandering or disconnected thoughts
• drift from your lane or hit a rumble strip
• keep jerking your vehicle back into the lane
• tailgate
• miss traffic signs
• yawn repeatedly
• have difficulty keeping eyes open and focused
• can’t remember the last few miles
• have trouble keeping your head up

Source: www.powersleep.org

"Research shows, one of the groups at highest risk for sleep related crashes are young adults, who tend to stay up late, sleep too little, and drive at night."

Source: www.drowsydriving.cornell.edu

Also See:

Drowsy Driving Among College Students