The National Sleep Foundation is hosting Drowsy Driving Prevention Week®, starting today. The goal of this public awareness campaign is to educate drivers about sleep safety. As part of this, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a new study showing that the tragedy of drowsy driving is more pervasive than shown in previous estimates. Their study shows that drowsy driving involves about one in six deadly crashes; one in eight crashes resulting in occupant hospitalization, and one in fourteen crashes in which a vehicle was towed.

Here are some findings from the study:

• Vehicles in which the driver was accompanied by a passenger were nearly 50 percent less likely to be involved in a drowsy driving related crash.
• More than half (55%) of those drivers who reported having fallen asleep while driving in the past year said that it occurred on a high-speed divided highway.
• More than half (59%) of those drivers who reported having fallen asleep while driving in the past year said they had been driving for less than an hour before falling asleep; only one in five reported they had been driving for three hours or longer.
• More than one in four drivers (26%) who reported having fallen asleep while driving in the past year reported that it had occurred between noon and 5 p.m.

Oh, and by the way, men are more likely than women to fall asleep at the wheel. Drivers 24 and younger are at the most risk of nodding off while behind the wheel.

For more findings and Tips on how to avoid drowsy driving, check out DrowsyDriving.org. We want you to have a safe and happy holiday season.