SCARY STATS ABOUT DROWSY DRIVING

You have probably heard a lot about drunk driving and driving while high. Although it’s not mentioned as much as other forms of impaired driving, drowsy driving can be just as deadly. Most people are busy, and many people are overworked. Our hectic lifestyles can result in chronic overtiredness that lead to severe and even fatal accidents on the road. The National Sleep Foundation performed a Sleep in America poll in 2005 in which 60 percent of adult drivers – that’s 168 million people – admitted to driving drowsy.

Because driving drowsy doesn’t sound as careless as driving drunk, it tends to get overlooked. When you look at the numbers, however, it’s easy to see why drowsy driving is a major cause for concern. Here are some sobering facts about drowsy driving:

It Causes a Quarter of All Fatal Car Crashes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowsy driving is responsible for 7,500 (or 25 percent) of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in the country. That’s one-fourth of all deadly crashes on our nation’s roads. Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 71,000 injuries are caused by driver fatigue each year.

Fewer than Five Hours of Sleep Makes You 5x More Likely to Cause a Crash

Getting a good night’s sleep has never been more important. AAA looked at accident statistics and found a strong correlation between hours of sleep and the likelihood of causing a car accident. Drivers who got fewer than five hours of sleep were almost five times more likely to cause a collision. By contrast, motorists who slept between seven to eight hours were just 1.2 times more likely to cause a crash than those who got a minimum of eight hours of sleep.

Drowsy Driving Is Just as Bad as Driving Drunk

Researchers in Australia have found that being awake for 18 hours creates an impairment equivalent to having a blood alcohol concentration of .05 percent. This number goes up to .10 percent after 24 consecutive hours of no sleep. The legal limit for intoxication is .08 percent.

Boston and Brockton Personal Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision caused by a drowsy driver, it’s important to speak to an attorney right away. The personal injury lawyers at Joel H. Schwartz, P.C. offer experienced, compassionate legal counsel to individuals and families throughout Massachusetts. Call us today at (617) 742-1170 to speak to a personal injury attorney about your case.

This website has been prepared by Joel H. Schwartz, P.C. for informational purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.