Car Accident Attorney Warns about Drowsy Driving
An exhausted driver who chooses to hit the road is not only putting his/her own life at risk but also the lives of other road users. The American Association of Automobiles (AAA) Traffic Safety Foundation estimated that 40% of all car drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once. This is a very scary statistic. This shows that the likelihood of running into a drowsy driver is quite high. If you end up getting involved in an accident caused by a drowsy driver, immediately contact a car accident attorney familiar with these kinds of cases to get the legal help you need.
You might be wondering how dangerous drowsy driving really is. The truth of the matter is that it is VERY dangerous. Drowsy driving is very common nowadays because sleep deprivation has become increasingly common among many drivers on our roads. It is sad that drivers do not actually realize how much fatigue negatively affects their ability to concentrate on the road. They simply wake up after three or four hours of sleep and drive to work or even to other states assuming that everything is okay, which is usually not the case.
Every year, one in every five car accidents is caused by a sleep-deprived driver. Studies have revealed that drowsy driving is as risky as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Some of the effects of sleep deprivation on a driver’s performance on the wheel include:
- Falling asleep behind the wheel,
- Impaired judgment and time of reaction,
- Loss of alertness, and
- Increased aggression.
A recent federal government survey revealed that 1 in 25 drivers in the U.S. have fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once in the previous month. Another study noted that about 50,000 car accident related injuries per year are as a result of drowsy driving. These statistics show just how common drowsy driving is and the grave danger posed by drowsy drivers. In spite of these shocking statistics, the issue of drowsy driving is not given as much attention as it deserves by the media, to the annoyance of many a car accident attorney.
Who is mostly affected by drowsy driving?
All drivers can fall asleep when driving, but particular groups of drivers are at a higher risk due to the fact that they tend to drive later at night. They include;
- Businessmen or women traveling at night to other states for early meetings
- Shift workers going home after a late night shift
- Young drivers heading home from a party or club
- Commercial drivers such as truckers rushing to deliver goods in other states.
Most of these drivers are often exhausted before they even get into their cars. This increases their likelihood of losing control of their cars, crashing into other vehicles and causing severe injuries or even death. For those lucky enough to survive, the injuries are usually quite costly to treat and thus financially damaging to them and their families.
Fatigue affects the driver before he or she is even aware of the issue at hand. Drivers might not notice when they start weaving between lanes or even daydreaming, but there are various early warning signs such as yawning or slower reaction times that can help you take action before it’s too late.
Victims of drowsy driving accidents should get compensation for the pain and suffering endured. However, to win an injury claim, victims together with their families require representation from an experienced car accident attorney who knows how to craft effective legal arguments and win cases. Contact us now and we will assign one of our award-winning attorneys to represent you.