JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – September is Drowsy Driving Prevention Month and transportation officials want to remind drivers of the dangers of getting behind the wheel while not having enough rest.
According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 16% to 21% of deadly crashes likely involve drowsy driving.
On the field, former NFL player and Florida State University wide receivers coach Ron Dugans prepares his players for weekly matchups against teams in the ACC.
While remaining focused on football, memories of his late daughter Ronshay cross his mind every day.
“She was very influential and inspirational to a lot of other people, the way she carried herself. She was an old soul and we miss her,” said Dugans.
In 2008, 8-year-old Roshay died after a tow truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into the bus she was riding.
Dugans was traveling home from an away game when he got the devastating news.
“When I got the call, I was hoping everything was fine,” Dugans said. “At the time I heard everything was fine. And eventually, on the way back, I got the call from one of my relatives saying she didn’t make it. I still had a few more hours to drive, and it was the hardest and loneliest drive of my life.”
The National Safety Council reports that each year, drowsy driving leads to 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths.
Police agencies said driving drowsy can be just as dangerous as driving while under the influence.
“It’s very important that people pay attention to what happened in our situation so it won’t happen to somebody else,” Dugans said. “When that accident happened, anytime I feel or even think that I’m going to get tired, I don’t drive because I don’t want to take that chance and I know what happened to my family.”
Every September, Dugans uses the month to raise awareness and remind people to get enough rest, take breaks during long road trips and pull over when tired.
“Before you get behind the wheel, think about somebody else’s life. Not only your own but some other family’s life before you get on the road and drive drowsy,” he said.
Transportation officials want people to recognize the signs of drowsiness:
- Yawning or frequent blinking.
- Difficulty remembering the past few miles driven.
- Drifting from your lane.