If you choose to get behind the wheel of your car while feeling extremely tired or sleep-deprived, research proves that you dramatically increase the likelihood that you will be involved in a car accident. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety has studied the issue of driving while tired and published a report in 2016 outlining this very dangerous behavior.
Sleep Deprivation
According to the AAA study, approximately 1 out of every 5 adults in America today gets fewer than the recommended seven to nine hours of quality sleep on a daily basis. And 2 percent of adults who are driving get less than four hours of sleep nightly. The study revealed that drivers who sleep less than six hours nightly are two times more likely to get into an accident, with those getting four hours of sleep or less nightly being almost 12 times more likely to be involved in a car collision.
Why Driving Tired is Dangerous
Feeling sleep-deprived and tired makes a driver of any age feel drowsy. And in this drowsy condition, the driver’s alertness to what is happening on the road ahead is greatly diminished. Likewise, the driver’s reaction time in controlling their vehicle is greatly reduced. Sleepy and tired drivers are more easily distracted from paying attention to their driving behavior. When an individual feels tired or sleepy, their judgment while driving is badly impaired as is their ability to make the best decisions to perform and react as a safe and responsible driver.
Signs of Drowsy Driving
Even if you get enough sleep and feel alert behind the wheel, there are numerous drivers who make the bad decision to drive anyway while they are feeling sleepy or drowsy. You can easily notice them on the roadways because they erratically slow down or speed up their vehicle, they tend to drift in and out of lanes, they often travel at speeds that exceed road or weather conditions or the posted speed limits, they overcorrect errors, and they can ultimately drive in the wrong direction on a roadway or completely lose control of their vehicle, causing a serious accident.
Recourse for Drowsy Driving Victims
At Briggle & Polan, PLLC, we’ve seen the devastating personal injuries that tired drivers inflict on others. We encourage all drivers to make getting enough sleep a priority in their lives and to postpone a trip if they are feeling tired rather than risk involvement in a deadly accident.
If you have become a victim of another driver’s decision to drive while feeling sleepy or drowsy, our personal injury law firm can represent you in your right to receive financial compensation to cover such things as medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. Texas law holds drowsy drivers responsible for their actions, and the personal injury attorneys at Briggle & Polan, PLLC, stand ready to uphold your rights to seek compensation for being harmed by the negligent actions of a sleepy or tired driver. Contact us today for a free consultation at (512) 400-3278.
