The Return of Football Season Linked to Rise In Drowsy Driving Among Waste Drivers, Lytx® Data Shows

Mondays and Tuesdays in the Fall Show Spike in this Risky Driving Behavior

SAN DIEGO  – Aug. 21, 2017 –

As a group, waste truck drivers appear to be big National Football League (NFL) fans, but unless they take measures to get adequate sleep, the return of the NFL season may translate to higher risk of collisions on their routes. This, according to Lytx, Inc., the global leader in video telematics, which saw a spike in drowsy driving incidents among waste drivers at the return of televised NFL games in a four-year look-back at driving behavior in the waste industry.

Lytx, the global leader in video telematics, delivers video-centered services that help significantly improve the safety and efficiency of commercial and government fleets. Its services protect more than 650,000 drivers who drive more than 1 billion miles every two weeks. With its exception-based DriveCam^® video safety program, Lytx has analyzed more than 70 billion miles of driving behavior to help its clients predict and prevent collisions before they occur.

The Lytx DriveCam^® program is used by many of the major national waste companies as well as dozens of municipal waste fleets across the country to help keep their drivers’ safe driving skills sharp. In analyzing behaviors among drivers of 33,000 private waste vehicles from 2012 – 2016, the company noticed spikes in drowsy driving-related collisions and near-collisions on the Monday and Tuesday mornings following Sunday and Monday night televised NFL games compared to the rest of the year.

The 2016 NFL Season Was Particularly Risky

From 2012-2016, the August – November time frame, on average, saw a 53 percent increase in drowsy driving/falling asleep driving events over the rest of the year. Mondays and Tuesdays during the August - November time frame, on average, showed a 78 percent increase in drowsy driving/falling asleep driving events over the rest of the year. 

Evaluating 2016 on its own, however, showed an even greater spike. August – November 2016, on average, showed a 112 percent increase in drowsy driving/falling asleep driving events among waste drivers over the rest of the year, while Mondays and Tuesdays during those four months saw, on average, a 170 percent spike.

 “This study tells us that waste companies would benefit from encouraging their drivers to get more sleep on football nights,” said Lytx Chief Client Officer Dave Riordan. “Since the start of football season coincides with the onset of back-to-school schedules, drivers are doubly-challenged to get a good night’s rest.”

 “Waste drivers have one of the toughest jobs in America, and on top of a strenuous work day, they tend to have very early shifts, heading out to make their rounds before the sun’s come up,” said Darrell Smith, president and CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Association. “Combine that with a late night of watching football, and the risk of drowsy driving is predictable – but solvable.”

About the Study

This 2017 study reviewed the driving behaviors of 33,000 drivers of the five largest private waste companies in the United States from 2012 to 2016.

About Lytx

At Lytx^® we harness the power of data to enable human behavior change and help good companies become even better. Our flagship product, Lytx DriveCam^® sets the standard for driver safety in the industries we serve, and our RAIR^® Compliance Services helps DOT-regulated fleets comply with safety regulations, complementing the DriveCam^® Program. Lytx ActiveVision^® service helps fleets detect and address distracted and drowsy driving, both in real time and over time. We help protect more than 2,200 clients worldwide who drive billions of miles. We enable our clients to realize significant ROI by lowering operating and insurance costs, while achieving greater efficiency and compliance. Most of all, we strive to help save lives – on our roads and in our communities, every day. Lytx is privately held and headquartered in San Diego. For more information, visit https://www.lytx.com, @lytx on Twitter, or on our YouTube channel.