Governor Urges Motorists to Avoid Drowsy Driving as Daylight Savings Time Begins
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today reminded motorists of the dangers of drowsy driving as daylight saving time begins with clocks being set forward on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
“Drowsy or fatigued driving can pose a serious risk to everyone on the road,” Governor Cuomo said. “As New Yorkers change their clocks on Sunday, I encourage all drivers to do their part by getting enough sleep before getting in the car as just a few seconds of inattention can lead to tragic results.”
When drowsy or fatigued, reaction time slows, judgment is impaired, and the risk of a crash increases. According to statistics from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR), “fatigue/drowsy driving” or “driver fell asleep” were factors in 2,337 fatal and personal injury police-reported crashes statewide in 2017. Preliminary figures from ITSMR for those same factors show 2,273 fatal and personal injury police-reported crashes statewide in 2018, a decline of over 2 percent.
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), some people are more vulnerable to drowsy driving than others, such as young people, shift workers, commercial drivers, people with undiagnosed or untreated disorders, and business travelers. NSF data says young people ages 18-29 have the highest likelihood to drive while drowsy at 71 percent, ages 30-64 at 52 percent, and age 65 and older at 19 percent.
Posted: March 8th, 2019 under State Government News.