Monsanto is committed to the safety and well-being of all its employees, contractors, and guests around the world. As part of this continued commitment to safety, both in and out of the work place, Monsanto invited Kerrie Warne, from TyREDD, and Matthew Uhles, from the Clayton Sleep Institute, to speak to employees about the dangers of drowsy driving.
At Monsanto, safety for our employees and their families is a priority and Monsanto endeavors to keep employees informed on a variety of safety topics such as vehicle safety, including defensive driving, controlling your speed, how to prevent rollover accidents, seatbelt usage, texting and driving, and in the event of the TyREDD presentation….drowsy driving.
Warne, created the organization TyREDD (Tyler Raising Education for Drowsy Driving) to advocate about the dangers of driving while drowsy after her son, Tyler Warne, was tragically killed in a drowsy driving car accident.
The accident occurred on March 19, 2010 when Tyler Warne’s car rolled down a highway embankment, flipped 4-5 times before hitting a tree. Tyler was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police found no indications of alcohol, drugs or reckless driving. Witnesses reported seeing no brake lights, no skid marks were left and by all indications nothing was done to avoid the accident. The reason – Tyler had fallen asleep behind the wheel at 2:50pm on a bright sunny afternoon.
“While this presentation has a very important message for parents of teens, it is also relevant to every person at Monsanto.” said Brenda Cockrell, ESH Project Manager and Family Network member. “The message is very powerful with the personal story from TyREDD and backed by science provided by the Clayton Sleep Institute. The message is vital for all parents of teenagers, shift workers, people working long hours, or simply anyone who drives. The feedback we received following the presentation from Monsanto colleagues around the world has been overwhelmingly positive as it’s a topic not that is discussed frequently. Many have told us they are taking the message back to share with their friends and family.”
Sleepiness can impair drivers by causing slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information. It is a major traffic safety problem that is largely unrecognized. Warning signs of fatigue include:
- Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking and/or heavy eyelids
- Difficulty keeping reveries or daydreams at bay
- Trouble keeping your head up
- Drifting from your lane, swerving, tailgating and/or hitting rumble strips
- Inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven
- Missing exits or traffic signs
- Yawning repeatedly
- Feeling restless, irritable, or aggressive.
Here’s what you can do to prevent a fall-asleep crash:
- Get adequate sleep. Adults on average need 7 ½ to 8 ½ hours of sleep per night, while teenagers need between 9-10 hours of sleep per night, and children between ages 5-12 require between 10-11 hours of nightly sleep.
- Watch for the warning signs of fatigue as mentioned above.
- Use the buddy system. Avoid driving alone for long distances. A buddy who remains awake can take a turn behind the wheel and help identify the warning signs of fatigue.
- If needed, pull over to a safe/secure location and take a 20-30 minute nap.
If you would like to learn more about TyREDD’s message, visit www.tyredd.com, “like” them at www.facebook.com/tyredd, or visit www.claytonsleep.com for more information about sleep health.
