BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants the public to know that drowsy driving kills, but is preventable.
They say fatigue has costly effects on the safety, health, and quality of American life.
We are a nation full of sleep-deprived adults.
The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office recommends prioritizing sleep to protect yourself against the risks of drowsy driving.
“If one does a lot of traveling and feels like they’re getting tired, pull off at a rest stop, take a nap, get some more coffee,” said Sgt. Dale Pack. “It happens way more than people think.”
According to Pack, he’s been on accident scenes where people wrecked their car on the interstate, and they weren’t texting.
“It’s because they fell asleep at the wheel. You have to work two jobs, maybe three, to survive,” the sergeant said. “It makes people very tired. They don’t get a lot of rest because they’re working so much to provide for their family.”
Better to take a ten-minute power nap, Pack said, than to have a wreck going to pick up your kids.
