Several years ago, Rob was on his way to work when he was killed in a car accident. In a few days' time he was to be married. His closest friends, ready to stand as his groomsmen, were instead his pallbearers.
Major Robert Raneri's story is well-known in Massachusetts because his tragedy compelled state Senator Richard Moore to fight for legislation that would make drowsy driving a crime. The man that caused the accident admitted to being awake for over 30 consecutive hours before getting behind the wheel that morning. Studies have shown that 24h of continuous wake is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.1%. The legal BAC limit in the US is 0.08%.
Most of us don't want or need to stay awake for that many consecutive hours. Nevertheless, many of us have driven while feeling drowsy at least once, even without an extended period of wakefulness. We have tried our best to ignore the warning signs - frequent yawning, rubbing eyes, shifting posture - or overcome them by opening the window, or turning on the radio. Here are some realities to keep in mind the next time this happens:
- 1 in 5 car accidents are believed to involve fatigue
- Fatigue-related accidents are most likely to occur between 4 and 6am, which corresponds to the circadian dip in body temperature
- People who sleep less than 5h per night are four to five times more likely to be involved in a crash compared to someone who sleeps 8h or more
- 23% of people say they know at least one person that has crashed from falling asleep at the wheel
Currently, NJ is the only state where it illegal to drive while knowingly impaired by fatigue. However, other states have convicted sleepy drivers with vehicular homicide.
Sources:
In memory of Major Robert Raneri, by his wife-to-be
Drowsy driving facts
Rob's Law
Article: September 2010 Harvard conference on sleep deprivation
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