The NYPDD warns Daylight Saving Time may heighten the risk of drowsy driving, promoting awareness and safety training for susceptible groups.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State Partnership Against Drowsy Driving (NYPDD) is warning Daylight Saving Time can put drivers at risk of drowsy driving.

Ahead of the time change, the partnership is promoting its ‘Stay Awake! Stay Alive!’ message to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while tired. The partnership is also focusing on educating young drivers and providing training for commercial vehicle drivers, two groups considered to be at higher risk of driving while drowsy or fatigued.

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According to NYPDD, in 2025, over 3,000 police-reported crashes across the state involved ‘fatigue/drowsy driving’ or ‘driver fell asleep’ as contributing factors.

“Drowsiness or fatigue can impair a driver’s judgment and slow their reaction time just like alcohol and drugs, increasing the odds of a crash,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC). “Drowsy drivers can also experience micro-sleep, which are short, involuntary periods of inattention. At highway speeds, just a few seconds without your eyes on the road can have tragic consequences.”

The NYPDD and NY Students Against Destructive Decisions (NY SADD) are again sponsoring the ‘Stay Awake! Stay Alive!’ PSA Challenge for students at 24 colleges. Students who participate will create a 25-second video to raise awareness about the dangers of drowsy driving, with cash prizes of $2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third.

Lisa M. Endee, Clinical Associate Professor at Stony Brooke University, said, “Sufficient and good quality sleep is essential to all aspects of health and safety. Sleep loss associated with daylight saving time increases daytime sleepiness and the risk of experiencing drowsy driving, a serious impairment that jeopardizes both individual and public safety. Our initiatives aim to raise awareness about the signs, dangers, and prevention of drowsy driving by adding DROWSY to the other dangerous D’s of impaired driving (drunk, drugged, and distracted).”

NYPDD says commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers often face pressure to deliver goods on time while working long hours and tight schedules. To help reduce crashes, the Department of Health partnered with the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) to create training tools, which includes a 30-second video that highlights the warning signs of drowsy driving and shares safety tips.

From Friday, March 6, through Monday, March 9, the New York State Department of Transportation is partnering with the New York State Thruway Authority to display message signs along roadways that say ‘Stay Awake! Stay Alive!’