VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Distracted Driving Awareness Month got off to a deadly start.
A husband and a wife were run over and killed while their son was injured by a pickup truck while walking in Kitty Hawk on April 1. Police believe the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
“Many times people don’t think drowsy driving is distracting but it is,” said Katharine Beachbaord, AAA Safety Advisor. “Anything that keeps your mind off the road is a distraction.”
AAA said 10 percent of all crashes involve drowsiness. It claimed the lives of 795 people in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Your mind thinks that it can override that necessity to sleep,” said Beachboard.
However, Beachboard said the worst thing a driver can do is fight the urge.
“Caffeine won’t work, rolling down the window, singing to yourself, those are all temporary things eventually what your body needs is sleep,” said Beachboard.
According to a AAA study, the less sleep you get increases your risk of getting in to a crash. Daylight Saving Time can be one of the most challenging for many drivers.
“Your body gets used to waking up at a certain time and going to sleep at a certain time. We get this time change and it’s hard to get to sleep at this new time. The next thing you know, you are looking at two hours less of your sleeping pattern,” said Beachboard.
Beachboard also said the longer the trip, the more vulnerable you are so it’s important to have a plan before even leaving the driveway.
“My suggestion is if you are going to take long trips, take a 15-minute break every two hours or every 100 miles,” said Beachboard.
She said remember rest stops are there for a reason and to use them.
“A 20 to 30-minute cat nap in the parking lot will get you up and going again,” said Beachboard.