Sleep-deprived young drivers and the risk for crash: the DRIVE prospective cohort study.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective cohort study linking baseline survey data to longitudinal police crash records
PubMed 23689363 · doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.1429
What was done
A prospective cohort study (the DRIVE study) evaluated the association between sleep duration and motor vehicle crash risk among newly licensed drivers aged 17 to 24 years in New South Wales, Australia. Baseline questionnaire data from 20,822 novice drivers with a first-stage provisional license (enrolled June 2003–December 2004) were prospectively linked to state licensing and police-reported crash records over an average 2-year follow-up. Multivariable Poisson regression was conducted on 19,327 participants with complete data to assess crash risk, time of day of crash, and specific crash types for those sleeping 6 or fewer hours per night versus more than 6 hours.
What was found
Young drivers sleeping 6 or fewer hours per night had a significantly higher risk of police-reported crash compared to those sleeping more than 6 hours (relative risk [RR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04-1.41). Less weekend sleep was significantly associated with run-off-road crashes (RR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.21-2.00). Crashes among participants with less sleep per night were significantly more likely to occur between 8:00 pm and 11:59 pm (RR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.15-2.39) and between midnight and 5:59 am (RR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.11-3.13).
Why it matters
This study provides large-scale prospective evidence linking short sleep duration to increased motor vehicle crash risk in novice young drivers, especially during late-night hours and in run-off-road events. It supports interventions and licensing regulations targeting sleep deprivation and night driving among young adults.
Limits
Sleep duration was self-reported at a single baseline survey rather than measured objectively or tracked over time. The outcome was limited to police-reported crashes, excluding minor or unrecorded collisions. The abstract does not specify whether driving exposure (e.g., total kilometers driven) or other potential confounders were fully accounted for.
Cited by
- supports Getting less than 6 hours of sleep significantly impairs driving ability and machinery operation.