According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatigued driving is a serious issue within the United States, accounting for at least 100,000 reported crashes every year. However, it is difficult to discern whether a car crash is caused by drowsy driving or not, so this number has been agreed upon as an underestimate.
What Are the Causes of Drowsy Driving?
There are a number of factors that contribute to a drowsy driving accident.
The first, and most obvious, is that the driver simply hasn’t had enough sleep. Drowsy driving is often seen in the early hours of the morning between 12:00am and 6:00am, as well as in the late afternoon when most people are commuting home from a day at work. Workers who perform their jobs overnight are more likely to be involved in drowsy driving accidents, because the human body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted during these hours.
The use of certain medications such as painkillers, antidepressants, and other sedating drugs can increase the likelihood of fatigued driving. These medications combined with alcohol also increase driver impairment.
Who Is Most Affected By Drowsy Driving?
Certain demographics have a higher likelihood of fatigued driving than others, they include, but are not limited to:
- Teenagers: At this stage in life, teenagers need more sleep than usual, and it is a hard adjustment for the body to make. This means that falling asleep at the wheel is more likely for teen drivers.
- Drivers with Sleep Disorders: Narcolepsy and sleep apnea can go untreated and unnoticed. In these instances, drowsy driving may occur.
- Commercial truck drivers: Most commercial truck drivers can be actively driving for up to 14 hours at a time, resulting in a significant loss of sleep, and in turn, create a danger for drowsy driving accidents.
- Night shift workers: Driving during the hours of the night when your body needs rest highly increases the chance of fatigued driving.
Symptoms of Drowsy Driving
Symptoms of driving may include:
- Heavy eyelids
- Excessive yawning or blinking
- Difficulty focusing on the road ahead
- Blurry vision
- Forgetfulness (of the past few seconds or minutes)
How to Prevent Drowsy Driving
There are a number of steps you can take to avoid drowsy driving and/or becoming involved in a drowsy driving accident. First, by doing your best to ensure that you get 8+ hours of sleep per day. The car accident lawyers at Douglas, Haun, & Heidemann, a Missouri-based law firm, state that it’s always best to be on the defensive while driving, and to be attentive of other drivers who may be tired themselves.
If you know you have to drive for an extended period of time, avoid drinking alcohol or taking any medications that cause drowsiness before you embark on your journey; this could save your life and others’. Be on the lookout for drowsy driving warning signs in yourself as well as your driver’s if you are a passenger.
Lastly, make it a priority to set up healthy sleeping habits. It may be beneficial to create a sleep schedule to ensure you are getting the adequate amount of rest that your body needs.