National Sleep Foundation Convenes Transportation Safety Leaders, Automakers, and Sleep Experts at Drowsy Driving Forum for a Shared Call to Action

NSF announces a Forum video series and a new Drowsy Driving Resource Site

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 29, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) brought the nation's top road safety leaders, automotive industry leaders, crash investigators, traffic safety researchers and nonprofits, and sleep experts together at the National Press Club for its 2026 Drowsy Driving Forum, Advancing Sleep Health to Reduce Impaired Driving.

The Forum was the anchor event of NSF's expanded, year-round Drowsy Driving Prevention Program. At the Forum, NSF released its 2026 Drowsy Driving Report, which found that an estimated 61% of U.S. adult drivers (more than 145 million people) have driven while impaired by sleepiness. Participants agreed that drowsy driving is common and preventable, and that it is still largely under-recognized as a potentially fatal form of impaired driving. They also agreed that making progress to reduce crashes will take coordinated action from every sector that shapes how Americans drive.

The Forum featured two expert panels. The Leadership Panel highlighted national priorities, emerging roadway safety challenges, and ways to reduce crashes attributed to drowsy driving. The Solutions & Actions Panel opened with the first public presentation of results in NSF's 2026 Drowsy Driving Report. Panelists then discussed collaboration that was needed to put evidence-based strategies into practice.

Leadership Panel Speakers

• Jonathan Morrison, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
• Thomas Chapman, Member, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• John Bozzella, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Automotive Innovation

Solutions & Actions Panel Speakers

• Joseph Dzierzewski, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research & Scientific Affairs, National Sleep Foundation
• Jonathan Adkins, Chief Executive Officer, Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
• David Harkey, President, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
• Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD, President, American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
• Jamie Butters, veteran automotive journalist and host of the Autotown radio show and podcast

Mark R. Rosekind, PhD, moderated the Forum. Rosekind is Board Chair of the National Sleep Foundation and previously served as Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

"For the first time, the safety leaders who regulate our nation's roads, investigate our transportation crashes, design and build our vehicles, and champion the importance of sleep for health and safety sat at the same table and spoke the same language about the need to do more to prevent drowsy driving," said moderator Mark R. Rosekind, PhD. "What we heard is clear: drowsy driving is a problem that deserves more attention. The science is strong and the public is asking for more to be done. Our job now is to band together to turn this conversation into actions that saves lives."

"Drowsy driving is impaired driving with catastrophic effects, and our Forum reinforced that the nation's roadway safety leaders understand this and are poised to do more," said John Lopos, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. "NSF convened this group as part of a call to action. It's our ongoing commitment that every driver understands getting the sleep they need is the first and best way to be alert behind the wheel."

At the Forum, NSF announced two new sleep health and safety projects:

• Drowsy Driving Forum Video Series. NSF will release recordings of both Forum panels in early 2027. Safety professionals, policymakers, educators, and the public will be able to watch the full discussion on demand at www.theNSF.org.
• New Drowsy Driving Resource Site. NSF is launching a central hub of evidence-based drowsy driving resources on its website. It will include the 2026 Drowsy Driving Report, NSF's Drowsy Driving Position Statement, shareable infographics, the Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® participation toolkit, and guidance for teen drivers, parents, shift workers, and employers.

The Forum was a springboard for NSF's annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® (November 1–7, 2026), which coincides with the end of Daylight Saving Time, a seasonal shift that can disrupt sleep and create safety risks. NSF's campaign theme is Sleep First. Drive Alert.® Drowsy Driving Prevention Week 2026 was supported by sponsors Waymo, Mazda, WHG, Zoox, Higi, and the National Road Safety Foundation. Campaign collaborators included the Governors Highway Safety Association, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, MADD, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, PAVE, and Responsibility.org, among others.

To download the 2026 Drowsy Driving Report and NSF's drowsy driving resources, visit thensf.org/drowsy-driving-prevention.

About the National Sleep Foundation
There's only one National Sleep Foundation (NSF). NSF is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990, the NSF is committed to advancing excellence in sleep health theory, research and practice. For over 35 years, NSF has promoted sleep health through expert recommendations, consensus guidelines, tech standards, and easy-to-use evidence-based tips and tools to improve sleep.

For more information about NSF, visit www.theNSF.org │ SleepHealthJournal.org

SOURCE National Sleep Foundation