According to the National Safety Council driving while drowsy is similar to driving while intoxicated. The drowsier the driver is, his/her reaction times will worsen. Therefore, the higher the chance of Car Accidents being Caused By Drowsy Drivers. If you’ve been awake for more than twenty hours and you sit behind a wheel, it’s the same as if you had 0.08 % of alcohol in your blood, which is the U.S legal limit.
However, you don’t have to awake for 20+ hours to feel more tired than normal. When the fatigue kicks in, you can experience slower reaction times or temporary lapses of judgment. This can severely impact your ability to drive a car safely. We all know that just a second of not paying attention to the road can cause an accident that can change your or other people’s lives.
Drowsy driving statistics in the past ten years
· In 2010, The American Automobile Association (AAA) reported that one of every six deadly traffic accidents — and one out of eight crashes requiring hospitalization of those in the car — was due to drowsy driving.
· In 2015, 2.3 percent (824) of the fatalities occurring on U.S. roadways reportedly involved drowsy driving.
· According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll, 60% of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37% admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year.
Signs of drowsiness
If you experience any of the following signs, it may be a sign for you to take a break and not to drive:
- Daydreaming
- Difficulty focusing or heavy eyelids
- Having trouble to remember past few miles of the drive
- Constant yawning or rubbing your eyes
- Drifting in and out of your lane
- Missing road signs
- Head bobbing
If a driver experiences some of the above-mentioned symptoms, he/she is likely to make an improper lane change, improper turn, or veer off the side of the road. All of these actions are considered negligent behavior.
How to stay awake while driving?
It is important to pay attention when you drive, so drive when you are usually awake, don’t drive fast to get to your destination. Also, eat a healthy meal before you sit behind a wheel and take energy-boosting vitamins. If you’re sleepy, take a 20-minute nap and you’ll feel much better.
Who is more likely to drive drowsy?
All of us can experience drowsiness at some point while behind the wheel. However, it’s more likely that this will happen more often to people who don’t get enough sleep, commercial drivers who operate vehicles such as tow trucks, tractor-trailers, and buses, shift workers, drivers with untreated sleep disorders and drivers who take medication that make them sleepy.
Car accidents due to drowsiness
If fatigue and drowsiness contributed to a car accident, you will have to prove that it was the cause of the accident and your injuries. If you hire an experienced Tampa car accident attorney, he/she will know what to look for and what to examine thoroughly to prove fault.
Dan Zohar, a knowledgeable personal injury attorney will know how to find out what really happened in your car accident.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in an accident caused by someone else’s drowsy driving, aka: Car Accidents being Caused By Drowsy Drivers, contact the Law Office of Dan Zohar PA and our experienced personal injury attorney will ensure that your legal rights are protected. Don’t delay! Call today at (800) 963-3311.