(November 4, 2011) WASHINGTON — Nearly all drivers — 96 percent — feel drowsy driving is an unacceptable behavior, yet almost a third — 32 percent — admitted driving when they were so tired that they had difficulty keeping their eyes open in the past month, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 's 2011 safety culture survey.

A study released last year by the AAA Foundation found that one of every six deadly crashes and one in eight crashes causing serious injury involved a drowsy driver. This is substantially higher than previous estimates, confirming the suspicions of researchers that the impact of drowsy driving on motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths has been greatly underestimated.

"Although the vast majority of drivers recognize the serious threat of drowsy driving, a 'Do as I Say, Not as I Do' attitude exists when getting behind the wheel. Drowsy driving kills, just as sure as drunk, drugged and distracted driving does," said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger .

"Drivers have a tendency to underestimate the impact being tired has on their driving ability, which puts themselves and others at risk."

In recognition of this year's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, hosted by the National Sleep Foundation, the AAA Foundation and AAA want to raise awareness among all drivers of the seriousness of this deadly, yet far too common driving practice.

Recent AAA Foundation research on drowsy driving found that two out of every five drivers (41 percent) admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, with one in 10 saying they had done so in the past year. "What's so alarming is that over half of these drivers reported having fallen asleep while driving on high‐speed roads," said AAA's Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research Jake Nelson. "These data underscore the importance of educating drivers about the dangers of drowsy driving."

For more than two decades, the National Sleep Foundation has worked to raise drowsy driving awareness and related education.

"It is shocking to consider that nearly a third of drivers admit to operating a vehicle in the last month while drowsy," said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. "We applaud AAA's work to call attention toward this important public safety issue."