PennDOT, safety partners highlight dangers of drowsy driving

OIL CITY — In advance of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Highway Safety Network remind motorists of the importance of getting enough rest before getting behind the wheel.

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday and all clocks will be set back by one hour. The time change can potentially affect an individual’s sleep cycle and increase the likelihood of feeling drowsy or falling asleep while driving.

“The effects of fatigue can be very dangerous for motorists and oftentimes mimic those of drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol,” said Josh Woods, a Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says research shows being awake for 18 consecutive hours impairs a driver as much as a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent, while being awake for 24 consecutive hours is the equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.10 percent.

Fatigue can negatively affect a driver’s reaction time, judgment, attention, and vision, while also making it more difficult to understand and remember things.

According to PennDOT data, there were 2,714 crashes in Pennsylvania in 2023 involving a drowsy or asleep driver, resulting in 11 fatalities. Of those crashes, 128 of them were recorded in PennDOT’s District 1, which includes Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says drowsy-driving crashes most commonly occur between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM, or late in the afternoon. During both times of the day, people experience dips in the human body’s internal clock that regulates sleep.

PennDOT recommends the following tips to avoid drowsy driving:

For more information on drowsy driving, visit penndot.pa.gov/safety.