CDC releases results of largest survey ever on drowsy driving

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:59:00 EST

We all know that driving while texting or under the influence of drugs or alcohol is extremely dangerous, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a survey taken back in 2009 and 2010 by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) showing just how lethal drowsy driving can be. According to the survey, drowsy driving accounted for almost 730 fatal crashes and around 30,000 non-fatal crashes in 2009, and it shows that 4.2 percent of more than 147,000 respondents had fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once in a 30-day period before the survey was taken.

As frightening as that is, the survey was limited to just 19 states and the District of Columbia and did not include teen drivers under the age of 18, which means the number could be even higher. Back in November, we reported on a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that indicated one in seven (around 14 percent) drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 admitted to falling asleep while driving compared to the overall average of 10 percent admitting to dozing off behind the wheel. The BRFSS survey showed that Oregon had the lowest percentage of drowsy drivers (2.5 percent) while Texas had the highest number (6.1 percent). The CDC points out that two major contributing factors to drowsy driving are snoring and getting less than six hours of sleep per day - both are symptoms of sleep apnea.

While accidents and fatalities as a result of drowsy driving are no laughing matter, we couldn't help but think of the Griswold family as they traveled to Walley World in National Lampoon's Vacation (pictured above). Visit Sleep Education or the CDC for more information on this study.

CDC releases results of largest survey ever on drowsy driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Fat people waste gas

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:52:00 EST

Filed under: Trends

Gas prices have settled a bit in the past few months, but with the cost of a gallon still lingering well in the two-dollar range, many Americans are looking for ways to save a few bucks at the pump. But what if you are happy with your current car and don't want to be a new one that's more fuel efficient? One new study suggests you dump your spare tire.

No, not that spare tire. The one around your waist. This new study suggests that Americans are burning nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline every year because of the extra weight we're are toting around. At $2.20 a gallon, that amounts to $2.2 billion wasted on gas each year. "If a person reduces the weight in their car, either by removing excess baggage, carrying around less weight in their trunk, or yes, even losing weight, they will indeed see a drop in their fuel consumption." This from study co-author and University of Illinois researcher Sheldon Jacobson.

Jacobson points out that the lost mileage for any single driver is pretty small. Even by losing 100 pounds, the average driver would only save about $40 a year over a typical 12,000 miles. But it adds up when you consider how many motorists are on the road. Other research, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies support these findings. In a related study, the CDC found that heavy fliers have contributed to higher fuel costs for airlines.

The study will appear in the October-December issue of The Engineering Economist, one of those academic/industry journals published by the American Society of Engineering Education and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, former CDC director points out that although valid, the study conclusion is only partially helpful: "The wrong fuel is being focused on. If you're heavier, the most important fuel you use more of is food."

[Source: Yahoo! News]

REPORT: Fat people waste gas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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