Sleepiness at the wheel across Europe: a survey of 19 countries

Gonçalves, Marta; Amici, Roberto; Lucas, Raquel; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Cirignotta, Fabio; Horne, Jim; Léger, Damien; McNicholas, Walter T.; Partinen, Markku; Joaquín Téran‐Santos; Peigneux, Philippe; Grote, Ludger; National Representatives as Study Collaborators · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1111/jsr.12267

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This study addresses the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of drowsy driving across Europe, aiming to provide standardized, population-based evidence to support coordinated preventive policies. While drowsy driving is a major risk factor for traffic accidents, official statistics often underreport its contribution. The European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) conducted the "Wake-Up Bus Sleep Study" to estimate the period prevalence of falling asleep at the wheel and identify associated risk factors across 19 European countries. The researchers utilized an anonymous online questionnaire distributed between July and September 2013. The survey collected demographic data, annual driving distance, history of falling asleep at the wheel, and sleep-related characteristics using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the STOP-Bang questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) risk. Promotion strategies varied by country, utilizing media, governmental bodies, and social networks. After excluding incomplete responses and non-drivers, the final analysis included 12,434 valid questionnaires. Statistical associations were quantified using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, and driving distance, with a country-level random effects term to account for sampling differences. The average prevalence of falling asleep at the wheel in the previous two years was 17%. Significant country-level variations were observed, with the highest odds ratios found in the Netherlands (OR = 3.55) and Austria (OR = 2.34), and the lowest in Croatia (OR = 0.36), Slovenia (OR = 0.62), and Italy (OR = 0.65). Among those who fell asleep, 7.0% experienced a sleep-related accident; of these accidents, 13.2% required hospital care and 3.6% resulted in fatalities. Key individual determinants included younger age, male gender (OR = 1.79), driving ≥20,000 km/year (OR = 2.02), high daytime sleepiness (OR = 7.49), and high OSAS risk in men (OR = 3.48). The most frequently cited reasons for falling asleep were poor sleep the previous night (42.5%) and poor general sleeping habits (34.1%). Accidents peaked between 15:00–16:00 and 04:00–08:00. The study concludes that drowsy driving is a significant safety hazard throughout Europe, with substantial variation in prevalence across nations. The findings highlight the importance of identifying high-risk groups, particularly young males and those with sleep disorders or high mileage. The authors emphasize the need for joint research and policy efforts to raise awareness and reduce the burden of sleepiness at the wheel, advocating for coordinated European-level interventions rather than isolated national strategies.

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Topics

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• drowsiness
• sleep deprivation
• truck driver fatigue
• drowsiness detection algorithms
• shift work driving

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence