AIA safety office reminds drivers to stay alert on roads Published July 27, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Kristine Dreyer Air Intelligence Agency Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Many people take for granted the danger that comes with driving long distance. Without giving it another thought, the average person would jump in their car after an eight-hour work day and drive the four or five hours to visit a friend for the weekend even though the consequences could be deadly. Senior Master Sgt. Burrell Hancock, Air Intelligence Agency safety director, offers a few tips for drivers to help keep their vacations travels as safe as possible. "Being aware of the hazards such as driver drowsiness that come with driving long distances is the first step," said Sergeant Hancock. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Expert Panel on Driver Fatigue and Sleepiness report, the annual averages are 40,000 nonfatal injuries and 1,550 fatalities resulting from driver drowsiness. To avoid becoming a statistic, Sergeant Hancock recommends drivers to have a full eight hours sleep and to formulate a plan before starting a long drive. "Sitting for long periods of time makes you tired," he said. "If you don't schedule your stops, fatigue can creep up on you." Some drivers may think driving with the windows down, while drinking coffee and listening to their stereo blasting will keep them alert, but Sergeant Hancock said drivers need to address the symptoms of fatigue instead of ignoring them. "Putting a band-aid on the problem won't make it go away," he said. "If you're sleepy, the only thing that will fix that is getting a good night's sleep." A National Sleep Foundation's Sleep in America poll confirms that drivers aren't listening to their body when it's in need of sleep. According to the poll, 60 percent of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37 percent have actually admitting that they have fallen asleep at the wheel. Knowing their limits is what Sergeant Hancock stresses to all drivers. "All people are different, if you know that you only can drive three hours without a break then listen to your voice of reason and take as many breaks as needed," he said. "We are at war and our job is to fight and win. We can't be fit to fight if we are in the hospital." Although many may have that "it will never happen to me" attitude, drivers need to remember their decision can also affect other drivers and passengers on the road. "When you are on vacation, it is suppose to be a time of leisure," said Sergeant Hancock. "Unfortunately, the wrong decision can change that for everyone."