You didn’t sleep well last night, but you didn’t think a lot about it. You knew you were tired, but you had to go to work. You got behind the wheel, and you made it nearly to work before you had a near-miss accident.
You’d driven through a red light without even realizing it. How could you have made such a simple mistake? You nearly caused a crash that should have been completely avoidable.
The problem is driving while you’re drowsy.
Drowsy driving is a problem that you should be aware of. It’s not enough to get a few hours of sleep and think you can get through the day. If you get behind the wheel without the rest you need, you could cause a serious accident.
Drowsy driving is just as dangerous as distracted or drunk driving. In fact, a report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety stated that drivers who slept between five to six hours were twice as likely to crash as those who got seven or more hours of sleep the night before.
Perhaps not surprising is the fact that the crash rate goes up with less sleep. Those who sleep between four to five hours have a crash rate around four times higher than those who had enough sleep; those are rates similar to those of drunk drivers.
Drivers get behind the wheel while they’re too tired all the time. If you’re impacted by someone who was negligent and drove while they needed rest, you may be able to file a claim. Our website has more on this important topic.
