Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Nearly half of U.S. adults have driven while so tired it affected their ability to stay safe behind the wheel, a new survey finds, taking a risk that can be just as deadly as drunken driving.
In an American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey, 41% of adults admitted they've been so drowsy while driving that it impaired their performance, including 50% of men and 33% of women.
"Drowsy driving is a serious health and safety risk, and like drunk driving, it is completely avoidable," Dr. Andrea Matsumura, a sleep medicine physician and academy spokesperson, said in a news release.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that about 1 in 6 fatal crashes involves a drowsy driver. Adults aged 35 to 44 were the most likely to say they had trouble staying awake behind the wheel, with 47% in that age group reporting this experience.
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