100 Deadliest Days On The Road

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NEW YORK (CBSMiami) - The one hundred days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are considered the deadliest stretch for drivers on the road.

School is out and teens tend to stay up later and sleep less. Getting behind the wheel without enough sleep accounts for nearly ten percent of crashes in the U.S.

To drive home the point, Chevrolet developed a drowsy driving simulator suit.

It weighs around 23 pounds, weights are strapped around your ankles, wrist, and chest. Computer controlled goggles complete it. Every four seconds, the goggles go dark for one second to simulate a tired driver's eyesight.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of adults admit to drowsy driving and 37 percent have fallen asleep at the wheel.

"If you're yawning a lot, that's a good sign. If you actually have (fallen asleep), can't remember the last couple miles or the last couple exits, you definitely want to consider getting off the road," said Maureen Short, a safety engineer with Chevrolet.

And if you can't

"The biggest thing you can do is get engaged," she added.

If you start feeling tired but can't get off the road, Chevrolet's safety engineers recommend using hands-free devices to call a friend, engaging your brain with mind games or use your car's technology to avoid drifting.

Safety experts say at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night is the only way to keep you safe on the road.