{"id":25078,"date":"2018-07-13T18:07:30","date_gmt":"2018-07-13T22:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=25078"},"modified":"2022-03-16T10:42:22","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T14:42:22","slug":"why-driving-makes-us-sleepy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/why-driving-makes-us-sleepy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Driving Makes Us So Sleepy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia have an explanation as to why drivers become so sleepy.<\/span><\/p>\n

They have recently found that driver fatigue is often enhanced by the natural vibrations caused by the car\u2019s engines. These <\/span>vibrations can cause people to experience symptoms of drowsiness<\/span><\/a>, affecting concentration and alertness, within 15 minutes of hitting the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re tired, it doesn\u2019t take much to start nodding off, and we\u2019ve found that the gentle vibrations made by car seats as you drive can lull your brain and body,\u201d <\/span>Stephen Robinson<\/span><\/a>, a professor of psychology at RMIT University and co-author of the study, said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

The study suggests that this lulling effect, while certainly not the only cause of drowsy driving, can have a significant effect on drivers\u2019 sense of awareness, and may cause feelings of sleepiness in drivers who are perfectly awake when they step into the car.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom 15 minutes of getting in the car, drowsiness has already begun to take hold. In half an hour, it\u2019s making a significant impact on your ability to stay concentrated and alert,\u201d Robinson said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

The findings could have implications for car manufacturers interested in improving vehicle safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact of drowsy driving<\/b><\/h2>\n

Every year, drowsy driving takes the lives of hundreds of drivers and passengers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s <\/span>National Highway Traffic Safety Administration<\/span><\/a> (NHTSA), in 2016, 803 people lost their lives in accidents caused by drowsy driving, though the actual number may be far higher. <\/span><\/p>\n

In a study involving representative sample of 14,268 crashes from 2009 to 2013, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety <\/span>found<\/span><\/a> that a drowsy driver was involved in: <\/span><\/p>\n