The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to cut down on drowsy driving.
The agency is launching an effort to crack down on the issue, which accounted for 2.2 to 2.6 percent of total fatal crashes from 2005-2009. At least 72,000 drowsy crashes that involve injuries or property damage are reported annually. NHTSA plans to work closely with states to learn what legal and enforcement strategies are most effective to not only boost awareness of unsafe driving behavior, but to also crack down on drowsy or fatigued driving. Mark Rosekind, NHTSA Administrator, a former NASA scientist and expert on human fatigue, said “we’re going to develop strategies specifically targeting populations especially vulnerable to drowsy driving.”
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Unlike alcohol-related crashes, there are no measurable tests to determine sleepiness at a crash site.
Recently, automakers have been incorporating technology to alert drivers that appear to be falling asleep behind the wheel. That technology, such as “attention assist” found in Mercedes-Benz models will observe driver behavior and uses sensors to monitor steering wheel movements. If the system believes the driver is falling asleep, an audible alarm will sound as well as a warning flash.
[Source: The Detroit News]