Recently, I was on a solid unit of measurement opor-garai inwards the Rocky Mountains. As our flying had arrived late, together with the social club at which my solid unit of measurement together with I was staying was several hours from the airport, I ended upwards driving upwards the mount nether the encompass of darkness. As my children snored inwards their auto seats, together with my married adult woman rested her eyes, I couldn’t attention but experience tired myself. I had plenty of residuum the black earlier together with had fifty-fifty slept on the plane, together with yet, I was fighting heavy eyelids. Eventually, nosotros arrived safely at our destination, but it was for sure a scary ordeal: driving inwards an unfamiliar expanse on unsafe terrain, inwards a province of affairs (driving upwards together with downwards a mountain) inwards which I’d never flora myself before.
It was later my solid unit of measurement together with I returned from our trip that I did some interrogation on the topic of drowsy driving. According to the Center for Disease Control, “an estimated 1 inwards 25 adult drivers study having fallen asleep acre driving inwards the previous days(1). Further, according to several studies, conducted past times AAA and other academic institutions, at that spot could me every bit many every bit 6,000 fatal auto crashes each yr which are caused past times drowsy drivers(2).
While the numbers are jarring, it should non surprise anyone to larn that drowsy driving tin last then dangerous. When people are tired or slumber deprived, their reaction times are slowed, their decision-making is impaired, together with they are precisely less able to pay attending to the road, other drivers, together with potential hazards. In fact, acre for sure everyone (even those who practice it) would grip that drunkard driving is extremely hazardous to one’s health, many people neglect to catch that the effects of slumber deprivation are real similar to the effects of alcohol. According to a study released past times the National Center for Biotechnology Information, fifty-fifty “moderate slumber deprivation produces impairments inwards cognitive together with motor functioning to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication”(3) The study flora that exam subjects, later 17-19 hours without slumber performed equal to or worse than exam subjects without whatever score of slumber deprivation but who had blood alcohol content levels of 0.05% (which is precisely .03% below the legal bound inwards the the world of Florida).
So why practice then many of us hold to drive acre nosotros are tired? Perhaps pride plays a role. Anecdotally, inwards situations similar to the ane I described above, I’ve ever felt a feel of accomplishment inwards beingness able to consummate a long auto ride without having to surrender the wheel. Oddly enough, “men are to a greater extent than probable than women to drive acre drowsy together with almost twice every bit probable to autumn asleep acre driving”(4).Additionally, I’m sure some drivers who have got driven acre tired or who have got dozed off at the wheel, precisely didn’t intend it would travel on to them.
Many drowsy drivers are unable to halt or have got someone else have got the wheel; it's non actually an option. They are driving lone together with thence can't plow over the wheel. Or they can't halt together with residuum because they require to acquire domicile to their children. “Sleep related crashes are most common inwards immature people, particularly men, adults with children together with shift workers”(5)
Another grouping that vulnerable to high incidence of drowsy driving is truck drivers(6). The Harvard School of Medicine conducted an anonymous survey which flora that: 50% of respondents admitted to having driven acre drowsy together with 25% of respondents admitted to having fallen asleep acre driving, nearly one-half of long-haul truck driver respondents admitted to “drifting off” to slumber acre on a long-haul route(7).
Recently, with rising concerns most the issue, the States Department of Transportation has increased regulations on long-haul truck drivers, limiting the number of hours a driver is permitted to drive earlier a mandatory break.
Still, the dangers presented past times long-haul truckers together with their propensity for driving extended hours are great. This is a serious concern, since accidents involving trucks are unremarkably much to a greater extent than serious than other types. In fact, 98% of the semi-truck vs. autobus accidents inwards which at that spot is a death, the someone killed was inwards the rider vehicle. Combine this statistic with truckers driving acre drowsy, together with it's like shooting fish in a barrel to run across why the topic is worrisome.
For those truckers who drive most of their routes at night, the dangers are increased, every bit the body's circadian rhythm makes each of us to a greater extent than inclined to slumber during the black together with wake during the day.
Drowsy driving is non similar other issues that hurt or kill our loved ones; it is a fixable work with like shooting fish in a barrel solutions. Prevent drowsy driving by:
- Making sure that you lot are well-rested earlier hitting the road,
- Handing over the bicycle to someone who is non tired,
- Pulling over to rest, if require be,
- or past times leaving your auto together with opting for an Uber or taxi home.
Have you lot or a loved ane suffered injury or decease because of a auto accident? Was that auto accident due to some other driver falling asleep or driving acre drowsy? Call ane of the experienced together with aggressive attorneys of the Dolman Law grouping to hash out your legal rights together with options. We have got the premier personal injury lawyers inwards the greater Tampa Bay area, together with are hither to struggle for your correct to compensation. Contact us today for a free, no-risk consultation by using our contact form or at (727) 451-6900.
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