Among young drivers

Amongst young drivers, driving while fatigued is quite common due to lifestyle factors [43]. As adolescents need more sleep than adults, which they do not usually observe, fatigue can affect youngsters more than adults [38].

According to National Sleep Foundation's 2006 “Sleep in America”-poll, only one in five adolescents (20%) gets an optimal amount of sleep during the week, and more than half (51%) report having driven drowsy in the past year.

National Sleep Foundation: Sleep in America Poll

A survey among young drivers (18-25 years) in Victoria indicated the following [43]:

• 43% of young drivers had driven in the preceding week when mentally fatigued or sleepy;
• 40% had driven in the preceding week when physically tired or worn out;
• 10% admitted to driving after more than 24 hours without sleep in the preceding two weeks;
• 3% admitted to nodding off while driving in the preceding two weeks

See also the section about risk groups – young drivers.