CRASH COURSE

More Americans have died on US roads since 2006 than in World Wars I & II combined that sleepy semi-zombie zone, replete with compromised alertness and delayed reaction times. Nationally, and right here in Aiken and Augusta, drowsy driving is a big deal, and it can happen at any time of day. Statistically, sleepyheaded drivers are involved in more than 328,000 crashes annually, including 20% of all fatal crashes. That is perhaps no surprise considering that nearly half all adults say they have driven while struggling to stay awake.

Several cups of ink in this issue have been devoted to words pertaining to sleep and the various effects of not having enough of it, or having plenty of it. Why? March is peak season for sleep issues, courtesy of those two little words, “spring forward” (which takes place in the wee hours of March 12) Losing a full hour of sleep is a pretty significant loss: studies by the National Institutes of Health found the average American adult gets less than 7 hours of sleep per night. So losing an hour represents about a 15% sleep loss from people who already aren’t getting enough.

Awake At The Wheel

That might not be a huge deal for someone who is retired or works from home. Maybe a short afternoon nap will address the sleep deficit and help things along until the adjustment to Daylight Saving Time gradually happens on its own.

But for someone who has no choice but to maintain their usual rigorous schedule despite their fatigue — well, fatigue greater than their typical fatigue — it can be even more of a challenge.

And because this is “Crash Course,” let’s zero in on fatigue behind the wheel.

What comes to your mind first? Long distance truckers? Maybe. But let’s hold off on them. After all, how many of them read this newspaper? A handful? By comparison, how many of us drive down I-20 or Riverwatch Parkway every day? Thousands. And that afternoon drive can happen at a time when the sleepies are apt to strike on a good day, let alone in the aftermath of the clocks changing. Put the pedal to the metal and maybe the adrenaline alone will get you home safely (or to the scene of your wreck more quickly), but throw in a traffic jam — like the daily 2-mph crawl to get to the Grovetown exit, or to finally make it through the Riverwatch light at Alexander — and it can be hard to keep your eyes open.

When traffic finally does clear, drivers are resuming full speed while they may still be in