Being able to cram as much as possible into each day is something that many people are proud of, but there’s a chance that doing this will lead to a significant safety hazard. Fatigued driving claims an estimated 6,400 lives each year. It also leads to thousands of injuries.
Each of those fatalities and injuries was preventable if the driver had avoided driving until they were well-rested. Unfortunately, some drivers try to push the limits of how much they can drive while drowsy.
Drowsy driving can mimic impaired driving
There are times when the effects of drowsy driving can mimic the symptoms that occur when a person is impaired by alcohol. For example, someone who hasn’t slept in 18 hours will have similar effects as someone who has a blood alcohol concentration of .08%, which is considered legally impaired.
Fatigued driving can stem from a variety of factors
While lack of sleep is one of the more common causes of fatigued driving, there are many others to consider. These include:
- Driving at a time the body’s internal clock expects sleep
- Working swing shifts
- Having certain medical conditions like sleep apnea or obesity
- Taking medications that induce drowsiness
Victims of drowsy driving crashes may need urgent medical care. They may opt to seek compensation for the financial damages they incurred. State law limits the time they have to do this, so it’s critical to get the case moving forward quickly. Working with someone who’s familiar with these matters may make it easier to get this done.