Sleep deprived and overworked drivers cause 15% of all auto accidents according to a study issued by the American Automobile Association (AAA). These drivers are responsible for approximately 6,000 auto accident related deaths each year. Researchers found that people who have more than one job, sleep for less than 6 hours each night, or who drive very late in the evening or very early in the morning are more likely to be involved in an accident.

The study examined over 1,400 North Carolina drivers and found that those who got into auto accidents slept an average of 40 minutes less than those drivers who did not. It comes as little surprise that long-haul truck drivers, many of whom drive 20 hours at a time, are much more likely to be involved in an accident. ''We hope the study that we are releasing today will be a wake-up call to all those folks who have not been getting enough sleep,'' said David K. Willis, president of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

''Almost half of the drivers we talked with said they felt only slightly or not at all drowsy before they crashed,'' she said. ''I think the message here is that we can't always have a lot of warning before we fall asleep at the wheel," said researcher Jane Stutts. She also indicated that opening car windows and playing loud music do little to combat drowsiness. ''This does not work to keep you awake,'' she warned. ''The only truly effective action ... is to stop driving immediately, to pull over and get some rest, or let someone else take over the driving for you.''