NTSB -- NTSB Chairman Offers Support for National Sleep Awareness Week

************************************************************

NTSB PRESS RELEASE

************************************************************

National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2012

************************************************************

NTSB Chairman Offers Support for National Sleep Awareness

Week

National Sleep Foundation poll highlights fatigue risks

************************************************************

WASHINGTON - For decades, the National Transportation Safety

Board (NTSB) has investigated accidents and incidents,

across all modes of transportation where fatigue was a

causal or contributory factor. National Sleep Awareness

Week (March 5-9) and the start of daylight savings time on

Sunday, reminds transportation operators and the public to

focus on fatigue.

"While alcohol is often associated with impairment,

operating a vehicle while fatigued can be just as deadly,"

said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "As we move the

clocks forward an hour this weekend, transportation

operators need to plan for adequate sleep on Sunday night

and every other night to safeguard the travelling public."

On Saturday, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF)

released its 2012 Sleep in America poll. For the first time,

the NSF asked transportation professionals about their sleep

habits. Many admit to struggling with sleep. According to

NSF, nearly one-fourth of pilots and train operators admit

that their performance is affected at least once a week by

sleepiness. Moreover, one in five pilots acknowledge a

serious error, and one in six train operators and truck

drivers say that sleepiness has led to a "near miss".

"The results of the NSF poll should serve as a literal

'wake-up call'," Hersman said. "Inadequate sleep puts lives

at risk - we see this over and over in our accident

investigations. Improving the quantity and quality of sleep

can improve safety and ultimately save lives."

Managing human fatigue has been on the NTSB's Most Wanted

List of transportation safety improvements since the list

was first created in 1990. As a result of our accident

investigations, the Safety Board has issued nearly 200

fatigue-related recommendations to address diverse areas

including: hours of service requirements, scheduling

policies, education and training, diagnosis and treatment of

sleep disorders, research, and vehicle technologies.

###

NTSB Media Contact: Terry N. Williams

terry.williams@xxxxxxxx)

202.314.6100

************************************************************

This message is delivered to you as a free service from the

National Transportation Safety Board.

You may unsubscribe at any time at

http://www.ntsb.gov/registration/registration.aspx

An archive of press releases is available at

http://www.ntsb.gov/news/press_releases.html

Current job opportunities with the NTSB are listed at

http://www.ntsb.gov/about/employment.html.

For questions/problems, contact pubinq@xxxxxxxx