Driving while fatigued can be a common occurrence for long-haul truck drivers, and studies have shown it can be as problematic as driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.1 Yet almost a third of people in a AAA survey said at least once in the prior month they had driven while so tired that they could barely keep their eyes open.2
Sleep deprivation can have similar effects on your body as drinking alcohol. According to the National Sleep Foundation, if you’ve been awake for 24 hours, that’s equivalent to having a blood alcohol content of .10 (.08 is considered legally drunk). Being awake for 18 hour straight makes you drive as if you have a blood alcohol level of .05, according to the foundation.3