And before you answer, consider these statistics: Every 12 minutes, there are more than 150 motor vehicle crashes on North American roads that result in at least one person being killed. So, if there was an easy way to reduce your risk of becoming another statistic, you’d try it, right?

Well, good news: A new study from Triple-A’s Foundation for Traffic Safety says the simplest way to avoid crashes is to get an extra hour of sleep! Ideally, researchers recommend increasing your sleep time from six hours a night – which is the current national average – to at least SEVEN hours per night. And of course, you should also avoid obvious distractions behind the wheel, including texting and using GPS devices.

But even if you do drive distracted, this new study found that getting just one extra hour of sleep gives your brain enough rest to optimize cognitive function. So, you’ll be more likely to notice obstacles in the road, and react to dangerous driving conditions. And, statistically speaking, you’ll slash your risk of being in a deadly crash right in half!

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