Abstract
A telephone survey was conducted of a random sample of New York State licensed drivers to determine the prevalence and circumstances of drowsy driving. 55% of the drivers had driven in a drowsy state within the past year; 23% had ever fallen asleep at the wheel without having a crash, 3% crashed when they fell asleep, and 2% crashed when driving while drowsy. The fall-asleep/drowsy crashes had the following characteristics: driver alone in vehicle (83%); occurring on a highway or expressway (40)%; occurring 11 p.m -7 a.m (60%); drive-off-road (48)%. Driver variables associated with frequency of driving drowsy in past year included: age, education, gender, and work, driving, and sleep/wake patterns. (A)