#DrowsyDriving

Last year, more than 5,000 people died as a result of drowsy driving-related accidents. Furthermore, more than 60 percent of drivers in America have admitted to driving while drowsy.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to cut down on drowsy driving.

A recent report has shown that younger drivers are more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel, as one in seven drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 have fallen asleep at least once while driving during the past year. 

There are a few systems out there that alert you to the fact that you may be too tired to drive and should pull over for a nap or a strong cup of coffee. Denso is going one-step further with a drowsiness level checker that tracks muscle movements over a driver’s face.

Ford’s Lane Keeping technology is much more effective than a cup of super strong coffee – this technology will let you know when you’re too tired to drive.

Set to launch in early 2012 on the Ford Explorer, the Lane Keeping technology is perfect for drivers that are in for the long haul or have to pull a late-night road trip. This system will keep drivers in control by alerting them when it detects signs of drowsiness.

Using a camera mounted near the rear view mirror, the system is able to keep track of how you’re driving. When it senses your attention is wandering, the alarms start to go off. Depending on how alert you are, you may get a warning chime or a coffee up that lights up on the dashboard.

And if all that fails, the system takes it up a notch to get you focused on the road. If you start to drift across the lanes, the steering wheel will vibrate in order to snap you out of your sleepiness.

“Our engineering teams tested this technology for thousands of miles in many parts of the country to help ensure it performs on a wide range of roads with different lane markings,” said Michael Kane, vehicle engineering supervisor for Driver Assistance Technologies for Ford.

After the jump, watch the video to see the Lane Keeping System in action.