Message Monday - Jan. 11, 2016 - Drowsy is lousy, rest is best
Gray, dreary Iowa days are enough to make anyone feel a little tired. You might even ask yourself, “Am I awake right now?”
No, really…are you?
There is a little known phenomenon called “microsleep” where your brain is shut down for up to 30 seconds, even though your eyes may be open.
That’s scary enough when you are going about your everyday activities, but what about when you’re behind the wheel of a car? In a few seconds of microsleep, you could miss a red light or not notice a curve in the road.
Here are a few facts from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration:
- 100,000:The estimated number of police-reported crashes as a direct result of driver fatigue annually.
- 71,000:The estimated number of injuries from those accidents.
- $5 billion:The estimated number of dollars lost from those crashes.
It’s scary to think you might be dosing off behind the wheel and not realize it. Check this out report from ABC News about microsleep and its impact on driver behavior. https://youtu.be/G41zaG9rBrA