Descriptive Epidemiology of Dozing and Driving in a College Student Population

Driving while fatigued is a serious risk-taking behavior among college students. Accident data were reviewed and a behavioral risk factor survey undertaken at a large private university. The findings indicated that 86 motor vehicle fatalities occurred among students at the university in the last 15 years. The authors estimated that falling asleep at the wheel may have caused 62 of these accidents and that more than 3,000 students experience a driving-dozing incident annually, resulting in a yearly average of 200 injury accidents and 4 fatalities. Descriptive epidemiologic data are presented and implications for health promotion efforts are discussed.