Dutchess County Sheriff’s Hope to Wake-Up ‘Drowsy’ Drivers All Week

Driving any vehicle after staying up for 20 hours is just like driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08%!

Facts like these are exactly what Hudson Valley drivers need to see and hear to keep us all safe while driving around. Let's repeat it...

Driving any vehicle after staying up for 20 hours is just like driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08%!

To really drive that fact home the Dutchess County Sheriffs Office is currently spreading the word with what they are calling, "Drowsy Driving Prevention Week." It runs from November 7th to November 13th, with the hopes of educating all drivers, young and old that drowsy driving is impaired driving.

According to the Sheriff's Facebook page and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it's estimated that some 71,000 injuries and more than 1,550 deaths are caused by drowsy driving crashes each year in the United States.

How to Avoid Drowsy Driving

The Sheriff's Office shared a few tips that should keep us all safe while we are on the roads including, getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night, drivers should also do what they can to stick to a consistent sleep schedule, and lastly, one of the easiest ones to follow, avoid alcohol and/or medication that can cause drowsiness before getting behind the wheel. A common mistake is drivers do read the warnings on medication that they need to take. If the medication says it'll cause drowsiness, do everyone a favor and leave the driving to someone else.

As a reminder, it's always best to stay alert and always do your best to drive without distraction not only to protect yourself but to protect your passengers and other motorists.