WASHINGTON – November 12, 2026 -- An estimated 61% of U.S. adult drivers, more than 145 million people, have driven while impaired by sleepiness, according to the National Sleep Foundation's 2026 Drowsy Driving Report, released at the group's Drowsy Driving Forum at the National Press Club on October 29.
Regulators, investigators and automakers share one panel
The Forum, titled Advancing Sleep Health to Reduce Impaired Driving, anchored NSF's expanded year-round Drowsy Driving Prevention Program. The Leadership Panel featured NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison, NTSB Member Thomas Chapman and Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella.
The Solutions & Actions Panel included Jonathan Adkins of the Governors Highway Safety Association, David Harkey of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Joseph Dzierzewski, NSF's senior vice president for research and scientific affairs, gave the first public presentation of the report's results. Mark R. Rosekind, NSF Board Chair and a former NHTSA administrator and NTSB member, moderated.
Participants agreed that drowsy driving is common and preventable but still under-recognized as a potentially fatal form of impaired driving. They said reducing crashes will require coordinated action across every sector that shapes how Americans drive.
NSF CEO John Lopos said, "Drowsy driving is impaired driving with catastrophic effects," and described the Forum as a call to action.
NSF to publish panel recordings in early 2027 and launch resource hub
NSF will release recordings of both panels in early 2027, available on demand on its website. It is also launching a central Drowsy Driving Resource Site. The hub will include the 2026 report, NSF's Drowsy Driving Position Statement, shareable infographics and the Drowsy Driving Prevention Week participation toolkit. It will also carry guidance for teen drivers, parents, shift workers and employers.
Autonomous-vehicle developers sponsor Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
The Forum preceded NSF's annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, held November 1-7, 2026. The week coincides with the end of Daylight Saving Time, a seasonal shift that can disrupt sleep. The campaign theme was Sleep First. Drive Alert.
Sponsors were Waymo, Mazda, WHG, Zoox, Higi and the National Road Safety Foundation. Collaborators included the Governors Highway Safety Association, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, MADD, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, PAVE and Responsibility.org.