MMDA, sleep health organization launch drowsy driving campaign ahead of holidays

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine (PSSM) on Wednesday launch an awareness campaign to prevent drowsy driving-related accidents ahead of holiday festivities. 

Called “Tabi Muna,” or pull over in English, the campaign will feature a series of commercials highlighting the importance of sleep health and to encourage drivers to safely pull-over if they’re feeling drowsy. 

The campaign is set to be officially shown at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) parade on Dec. 18 and 19. It will also be posted on YouTube. 

MMDA expressed its support and appreciation for allowing the agency to host the campaign lead by PSSM, given its timely relevance. 

“Usually, the major cause of traffic is accidents. Vehicles bumping into each other, and many of them has been recorded due to drivers falling asleep while driving,” MMDA’s deputy chairman Frisco S. San Juan Jr. said during the launch event. 

PSSM said that although there is no updated data about the country’s drowsy driving incidence, an international report shows that road accidents related to driver sleepiness are as high as 30%, mainly caused by sleep deprivation. 

In its separate report, the organization said that a recent survey shows that the Philippine is “the most sleep-deprived” country in Southeast Asia, which signifies a call for better awareness about the dangers of drowsy driving and to change driver’s behavior, PSSM said. 

The Tabi Muna campaign is also supported by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), along with private-sector partners Uratex Philippines, Philips Respironics, and Petron Philippines. 

It was prompted by the deadly bus accident happened last May at the Tarlac City Toll Plaza in SCTEX, PSSM president Dr. Jimmy V. Chang. The accident claimed the lives of ten people and left 37 injuries. 

“Naisip namin na maganda na gumawa tayo ng (We thought it would be nice for us to make a) commercial that we can show the public for better access and awareness,” Mr. Chang said in an interview at the sidelines of the launch event. 

He also said that the lack of recent data on drowsy driving incidents reflects a broader gap in public awareness, as road accidents are often associated only with alcohol or drug use. 

The organization plans to work with the DOTr and the MMDA to consolidate data on road accidents and train personnel to better identify whether crashes are related to drowsy driving. 

For the public, Dr. Chang urged a change in societal attitudes toward sleep deprivation, warning against treating lack of sleep as a “badge of honor.” 

He said chronic sleep deprivation can lead to various health conditions, including hypertension and sleep disorders. 

PSSM is a professional organization of physicians focused on sleep medicine, research, and public health advocacy. — Edg Adrian A. Eva