Are you familiar with drowsy driving? Even if you don’t know it by name, you certainly know it by its symptoms. Losing attention while you’re driving, shaking out of a trance, yawning constantly–all of these represent potential concerns. Today is actually Drowsy Driving Awareness Day, and it just so happens to coincide with the announcement of the Nissan Driver Attention Alert, available on the 2015 Nissan Murano and the upcoming 2016 Nissan Maxima.
Any way you slice it, drowsy driving is no joke. According to AAA, the nation’s foremost authority on traffic concerns of all types, one in five of all fatal crashes involves a drowsy driver. It has also been suggested that a driver who hasn’t slept in 24 hours is every bit as dangerous as a drunk driver, a fact supported by statistics that estimate that 168 million American drivers have experienced drowsy driving in a given year, with 103 million of those admitting to have fallen asleep at some point. Let those figures sink in, and then try to drive home without wondering about all of the drivers around you.
So, who does drowsy driving affect the most? Not surprisingly, it is common for workers with long commutes, those who work during odd hours, young parents, and those with multiple jobs. There is also evidence to suggest it is more common in drivers aged 18 to 29, which represents a large segment of the population indeed.
To help combat this problem, Nissan has now unveiled the all-new Driver Attention Alert (DAA), which takes into account a driver’s typical steering and acceleration habits so that when a person is driving erratically, their Nissan knows it. A gauge found on the advanced drive assist display projects a gauge (note: it looks like a coffee cup!) and audibly alerts a driver when his or her attention is lower than normal.
All of this is an attempt by Nissan to help drivers more capably monitor their performance, and help keep their passengers safe in the process. To learn more about the Driver Attention Alert technology and the vehicles it will be available on, visit Avondale Nissan today!
