'The Way I Live'
The dangers of the road you wouldn't see
Josh Weaver
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Opinion
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The best way I could describe it is a case of extreme daydreaming, except in this case I wasn't dreaming about anything.
Sleeping with my eyes open - are you kidding me?
I shook my head, rubbed my eyes, tried to catch up with the morning show conversation, and continued on my way at 70 mph.
Although I made it through the situation unscathed, and without dropping my bagel, the dangers of driving under the influence of sleep deprivation cannot be taken lightly.
In the state of New Jersey, under Maggie's Law, which was passed in 2003, a sleep-deprived driver can be convicted of vehicular manslaughter and serve jail time for the offense.
What I experienced is what has been referred to as highway hypnosis.
According to a February 5 article published in the Wall Street Journal, approximately 60 percent of Americans said they have driven while drowsy, and an even more staggering 37 percent said they have dosed off behind the wheel.
The article also reported that more than half of the accidents caused by sleep deprivation involved drivers under the age of 25.
On its Web site, the National Highway Traffic Administration lists "personal demands" as one of the main contributors to drowsy driving.
Under the title of "personal demands," there is a brief synopsis of what the phrase means, and it reads, "Many Americans do not get the sleep they need because their schedules do not allow adequate time for it."
How profound.
Using broad terms, the statement describes the life of a typical college student, juggling work, school and a social life, leaving little time for sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation, among others, suggests that adults sleep seven to nine hours each night to feel refreshed the following morning.
I average five-and-a-half, maybe six.
The foundation conducted a survey in 2005 titled "Sleep in America," which revealed that 17 percent of the respondents felt fatigued or not fully awake almost every day of the week.
No joke. No exaggeration.
I haven't felt completely awake for about a year-and-a-half.
There is no clear-cut solution to cure sleep deprivation other than perhaps, well, sleep, but who has time for that? Recommendations of a consistent sleep pattern or healthy eating habits have little positive effect among college students.
In 2004, Duke University eliminated 8 a.m. classes from its schedule, lending its sleep-deprived students a helping hand to conquer drowsiness.
What a phenomenal idea. It is worth considering.
It's unfortunate, but I have missed more classes that began at 8 a.m. or earlier for no other reason than to get a few more minutes of shut-eye.
The roads may be a little safer if I am awake during my entire commute.
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