Long distance driving and self-induced sleep deprivation among automobile drivers

Objective: To evaluate the sleep hygiene and prevalence of sleep deprivatio n among a large sample of automobile drivers. Design: From the 15th of June to the 4th of August 1996, with the help of t he French highway patrol, we randomly stopped automobile drivers at the tol l booths of Bordeaux and Biarritz. All subjects completed a validated quest ionnaire on sleep/wake habits during the year, After answering the question naire, subjects completed a graphic travel and sleep log of the three days preceding the interview. Participants: We randomly stopped 2196 automobile drivers, Ninety-one perce nt of the sample (mean age 43 +/- 13 years) agreed to participate in the su rvey. Results: Fifty percent of the drivers decreased their total sleep time in t he 24 hours before the interview compared with their regular self-reported sleep time. 12.5% presented a sleep debt >180 minutes, and 2.7% presented a sleep debt >300 minutes, Being young, commuting to work, driving long dist ances, starting the trip at night, being an "evening" person, being a long sleeper during the week, and sleeping in on the week-end were risk factors significantly associated with sleep debt. Conclusion: The results of the study highlight variables (long-distance dri ving, youth, sleep restriction) that are frequently associated with sleep-r elated accidents.