Prevalence of Drowsy Driving Crashes: Estimates from a Large-Scale Naturalistic Driving Study
The contribution of drowsy driving to motor vehicle crashes is notoriously difficult to quantify. This study examines in-vehicle video captured in a large naturalistic driving study to estimate the proportion of motor vehicle crashes that involve drowsy driving.
Abstract
While official statistics from the U.S. government indicate that only approximately 1%–2% of all motor vehicle crashes involve drowsy driving, many studies suggest that the true scope of the problem is likely to be much greater. This Research Brief describes a study that examined the prevalence of driver drowsiness immediately prior to crashes that occurred in the context of a large-scale naturalistic driving study in which the driving of more than 3,500 people was monitored continuously for a period of several months using in-vehicle cameras and other data collection equipment. Drowsiness was assessed using a validated measure that is based on the percentage of time that a person’s eyes are closed. Using this measure, drowsiness was identified in 8.8%–9.5% of all crashes examined and 10.6%–10.8% of crashes that resulted in significant property damage, airbag deployment, or injury.
https://aaafoundation.org/prevalence-drowsy-driving-crashes-estimates-large-scale-naturalistic-driving-study/
