There’s a new warning about being drowsy behind the wheel.
It’s a serious concern all the time, but especially the week following the time change. Many people dread the Monday morning commute and return to work. But it could be even tougher with Daylight Saving Time and having lost an hour.
“I feel a little bit more drowsier than I normally have,” says Ruth Holly of Warren, Massachusetts.
“I’m pretty dazed myself. I got, usually I get five hours of sleep. That’s pretty important. Cutting an hour out is a lot,” says Seth Pond of Norwalk.
Now we’re learning how losing just an hour of sleep could have a big effect.
AAA says studies have found an increase in deadly car crashes the week following clocks springing forward and the sun rising later.
“People think ‘Oh, it’s just an hour sleep difference’ but this weekend for example you’re losing an hour of sleep, there’s the St. Patty Day celebration and then Monday morning people are going to get up and they’re going to be driving to work or school in the dark,” says Amy Parmenter, a AAA spokesperson.
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Drowsy driving is a serious concern. It’s blamed for about 21-percent of deadly crashes.
Nearly a third of people admit to driving while being so extremely tired that we had trouble keeping our eyes open. To keep alert behind the wheel, AAA suggests drivers get more sleep now to make up for loss this weekend.
Another concern for drivers: now that’s it’s getting warmer and staying lighter later you’ll want to be careful and watch for more bikers, runners, or walkers on the roads.
