The majority of drivers fail to acknowledge the role played by """"""""everyday phenomena such as physical or mental fatigue and sleep deprivation""""""""(Corfitsen, 1993, p667) in impaired driving performance though these factors have been shown to account for 13% of motor vehicle collisions and 1.1% of fatal accidents(Bartels and Kusakcioglu, 1965, cf: Corfitsen, 1994). Falling asleep at the wheel is considered to he the cause of one out of every ten non- alcohol related accident fatalities(Summala and Mikkola, 1994). The proposed research focuses on this potentially lethal combination of driving a passenger vehicle while experiencing sleep deprivation (SD). To date, this problem has not been given due consideration as evidenced by limited research on the role of SD in passenger vehicle crashes, and even less research on behavioral factors potentially linked to these crashes. This study seeks to further research on social behavioral factors in injury causation and prevention, and on the valuable uses of mass media communications to promote traffic safety and reduce preventable catastrophes. It proposes to: 1) examine factors which may underlie sleep deprivation and driving such as perceptions of vulnerability to risk, 2) develop a media intervention targeting sleep- deprived drivers which addresses these factors, 3) evaluate the effects of the intervention on behavioral and epidemiologic outcomes like risk perceptions and SD- related car crash injuries, respectively. The overall aim of the proposed research is to decrease the incidence of fatalities and severe injuries related to the combination of SD and driving. The principal behavioral aims of the intervention are to heighten awareness of the severity of driving under these conditions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31HL009730-02
Application #
2591584
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG2-PSF (04))
Project Start
1997-03-29
Project End
Budget Start
1997-10-14
Budget End
1998-10-13
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
045911138
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218