All drivers who experience the situational factors discussed above are at a higher risk of being involved in a drowsy-driving accident. Again, no one is immune from the risk, but research shows that three broad population groups are at a higher risk for being involved in a drowsy-driving crash. Drivers under 30 are four times more likely to be involved in a drowsy-driving crash than drivers 30 and older. The peak age of being involved in a drowsy-driving crash is 20. Young males are 5 times more likely than females to be involved in drowsy-driving crashes.
Shift workers are more likely to be involved in a drowsy-driving crash than day workers.
This is because shift workers typically get 1.5 fewer hours of sleep than day workers. Those who work the midnight to 8 a.m. shift are at the greatest risk of sleep disturbance . Older shift workers appear to have more sleep-related difficulties than their younger counterparts. Nurses on rotating schedules reported more accidents and more near-miss crashes than nurses on other schedules. People with untreated sleep apnea and narcolepsy are also at a higher risk of being involved in a drowsy-driving accident.