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Paper Title:
Driver sleepiness and
the risk of car crash injuries : The Auckland Car Crash Injury Study
Full paper not available
(Abstract submission only)
Authors:
Jennie Connor, Robyn
Norton, Shanthi Ameratunga, Elizabeth Robinson,Ian Civil, Roger
Dunn, John Bailey, Rod Jackson
Abstract:
To measure the risk of
a car crash resulting in hospitalisation or death of a car occupant
(injury crash) associated with driver sleepiness, and determine
the proportion of crashes attributable to driver sleepiness.
A population-based case-control study design was used. Cases were
cars involved in an injury crash, in the region over the study period.
Controls were sampled to represent the total amount of driving on
the roads in the same region and period, using a two-stage cluster
sample of roadside survey sites. The driver interview included the
Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, hours and patterns
of sleep immediately before the crash/survey, usual patterns of
sleep, shift work, and symptoms of sleep disorders.
There were 571 cases
(93% response) and 588 controls (79% response). There was a strong
and consistent relationship between measures of acute sleepiness
and the risk of serious injury crashes.
- Driving with 5 hours sleep or less in the last 24 hours almost
tripled the risk of an injury crash (RR = 2.85)
- Driving while feeling sleepy, compared with feeling alert or relaxed,
increased risk by nearly 7 times (RR= 6.75).
- Driving between 2am and 5am increased risk more than five-fold
(RR= 5.61).
None of the measures associated with chronic sleepiness were found
to be associated with a significant increase in risk of a serious
injury crash.
Overall, 9% of crashes involving hospitalisation or death of a car
occupant can be attributed to driver sleepiness in this population.
Driver sleepiness is
associated with an increased risk of crashes resulting in injury,
and makes an important contribution to the total amount of injury
from car crashes. Specific sleep -related behaviours have been identified
which need to be targeted in order to reduce this burden.
Full paper not available
(Abstract submission only)
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