Georgia Injury Law Blog
While most motorists arrange to take alternate means of transportation when they are too intoxicated to drive, they may not be as cautious when they are sleepy and not in any condition to operate a vehicle. Unfortunately, this lack of caution results in a significant number of car accidents.
The results of a new study by the National Sleep Foundation reveals the cavalier attitude that most Americans continue to have towards drowsy driving. This is in spite of the fact that driving while sleeping or fatigued contributes to thousands of car accidents every year. Many of these car accidents are fatal while others may result in severe or catastrophic personal injuries.
The National Sleep Foundation survey found that as many as 7 out of 10 American motorists were likely to seek out alternate needs of transportation when they found themselves to be too intoxicated to drive. However, the approach to drowsy driving was markedly dissimilar. Only four out of every 10 American motorists, who had not had enough sleep and were too sleepy to drive, admitted to finding alternate modes of transportation.
The National Sleep Foundation survey coincided with Drowsy Driving Prevention Week 2024 which this year was commemorated between November 3 and 9. The results of the survey show that drowsy driving is still not taken as seriously by most American drivers, and the results are often catastrophic. The results of the study are further confirmed by the fact that most motorists admit to driving while sleeping. Earlier studies have found that 6 out of every 10 American drivers admit to having operated a vehicle when they were so sleepy that they could barely keep their eyes open. Teen drivers may be especially susceptible to drowsy driving with some studies finding that as many as one in 6 teens admit to having operated vehicles while extremely sleepy.
Drowsy driving car accidents are often high-speed, high -impact accidents that can result in devastating personal injuries or deaths. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that drowsy driving is responsible for as many as one out of every 5 fatal car accidents in the United States. These auto accidents cause as many as 300,000 injuries and 6,000 fatalities every year.
Make sure you drive only in a refreshed and alert state. If you have a long journey to make, plan ahead so that you get at least 8 hours of sleep beforehand. Remember, the risk of drowsy driving is even greater when you are travelling long journeys, and especially when you are driving alone. If you find yourself feeling sleepy while driving, try to pull over somewhere safe and get some rest before resuming driving.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in an auto accident, talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical costs, lost income and pain and suffering.