Since Daylight Savings Time started, we’re all driving in the dark more often. Your alarm schedule may be off or you may be cramming in stressful projects before the end of the year with less time to sleep. The darkness of the road and the weather could easily cause you to drift off on your drive home from a long day at work or school.

The National Sleep Foundation has declared this week as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week®. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue every year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.

According to the Sleep Foundation Stats, sleep-related crashes are most common in young people, especially men, adults with children and shift workers. You do NOT want to be one of these statistics!

To ensure you’re getting a good night’s sleep, the Mayo Clinic suggests not going to bed too hungry or too full, avoiding caffeine and nicotine in the afternoon, and getting some physical activity every day. Catchin’ those extra zzz’s can save lives!