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IMPAIRED DRIVING Alcohol Overview Statistics Programs RoadWatch Operation Red Nose Sponsorships Safe Grad TADD P.A.R.T.Y. Resources Drugs Fatigue Overview Statistics Shiftwork & Drowsy Driving FAQ |
Impaired Driving> Overview
Sources of Impairment
Ask most people what impaired driving is, and they'll tell you it's driving under the influence of alcohol. That is correct, of course, and alcohol is the most common form of impaired driving, but there are other, less obvious types of impairment.
It's been suggested that driver fatigue is second only to alcohol involvement as a causal factor in crashes. While fatigue can affect anyone at any time, the following are particularly at risk:
- young people
- commercial drivers
- people with medical conditions or undiagnosed sleep disorders
- vacation and business travelers
- shift workers
Additional people susceptible to fatigue-related crashes are all drivers who:
- Are sleep deprived
- Drive long distances without rest breaks
- Drive at times they would normally be sleeping
- Take medication that increases sleepiness
- Drink alcohol
- Drive alone or on long, rural roads
Prescription and non-prescription drugs can affect your driving ability, too. In particular, seniors and other drivers taking multiple medications should be aware of possible drug interactions that could affect their ability to drive.
Lastly, illicit drugs can dramatically affect your judgment, perception and motor skills. This decrease in your overall driving skills obviously increases your chances of being in an accident.
A PowerPoint presentation entitled Shift Work and Drowsy Driving in this section adds an interesting perspective to the fatigue issue.
