The Yellow May campaign reaches its 10th edition this year in Brazil. According to information from Fundacentro, on the Federal Government's website, the campaign created to raise awareness about reducing traffic accidents aims to sensitize the population to the importance of adopting safer measures on the road. Annually, there are about 40,000 traffic deaths, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
For the Sleep Medicine Specialist and president of the Brazilian Sleep Association (Regional ES), Jessica Polese, in addition to the respect, care, and education that every driver should have towards others on the road, one of the main causes of traffic accidents is sleep.
"The symptoms of impaired attention, slow reflexes, and low reaction capacity are effects caused by sleep, and they are very closely similar to when a driver is under the influence of alcohol," explains the doctor. According to the Brazilian Traffic Medicine Association (ABRAMET), sleep is one of the main causes of accidents on Brazilian roads, and about 42% of traffic accidents are related to drivers' lack of rest.
"Regarding this rest, we know that private drivers and truck drivers do not stop for the necessary time and end up using stimulant substances, and the problem is that they can make the individual very agitated, and that is not a good thing on the road," explains Jessica.
Another concerning factor that we know about these drugs is that they lose their effect very quickly, and without realizing it, the driver falls asleep again while driving, which is a serious failure," she points out.
According to the specialist, the ideal for hitting the road is to sleep six to eight hours before taking the wheel. "It’s no use taking short naps, and if the trip is very long, stop in a safe place to stretch your legs and rest. For professional drivers, it is necessary to respect the stipulated rest time," she says.
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