Houston accident lawyers realize that repeated reminders of the dangers of drunk driving and distracted driving mean that most drivers probably remain alert to these dangers o the road. But many people overlook the dangers of drowsy driving, which most people generally regard as a less serious problem. Part of the reason for the lower priority given to this cause of thousands of U.S. wrecks each year is that it’s often difficult for investigators to discern that cause of fatal wrecks after the fact.
But the U.S. NHTSA reports that drowsy driving, even while underreported as a cause of fatal wrecks, accounted for up to 2.6% of all fatal wrecks from 2005 through 2009. In 2009 alone, drowsy driving was blamed for 832 (2.5%) of fatal U.S. crashes.
And the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety stated in a November 2010 study that a full 41% of drivers had admitted to dozing off or falling asleep behind the wheel. More than 25% of U.S. drivers admitted to driving while they were so drowsy that they had a difficult time keeping their eyes open at least once in the month preceding the AAA survey that gathered data for the study.
Drowsy driving apparently is a much more prevalent problem than many people might believe. And our Houston accident lawyers point out that it’s a dangerous problem as well. In the brief moment one might nod off behind the wheel, your car could easily veer from its lane and crash head-on into another vehicle, into a tree, or into a concrete road barrier. Even at 65 mph, an average highway speed, you cover 100 feet per second. One second with your eyes closed and your consciousness not in control of your vehicle is all it takes to cause a deadly wreck.
So know the warning signs that you are too drowsy to drive. Our Houston accident lawyers caution you to heed those warnings. If you find your eyes closing or losing focus, or if holding your vehicle to a single lane is proving to be a problem, you are too drowsy to safely drive. If you find yourself missing your exits or turns on your route, or if you can’t remember where you have been or when the song that’s playing changed, then you might actually have already dozed off briefly. You’re lucky to still be on the road and not entangled in a crash. But it’s definitely time to pull off the road before you do crash.
Sometimes a short 20-minute nap can revive you enough to continue on for a time. Listening to talk radio, drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks, chewing gum, turning the A/C to release very cold air can sometimes help you continue on for a short time so that you can find a safe point to pull off the road.
The Houston accident lawyers at Denena & Points emphasize that highway driving especially is dangerous to the drowsy driver. You might have heard of the “highway hypnosis” effect that affects drivers as they drive endless miles through monotonous surroundings and driving conditions. And nodding off at high highway speeds creates an especially dangerous situation for you and for others on the road.
So before you drive, be sure to always get a sufficient amount of sleep. Avoid taking medications that make you drowsy. Take frequent rest breaks and switch drivers every couple of hours on long trips if you’re not traveling alone.
Don’t underestimate the dangers of drowsy driving. And if you or a loved one receives injuries in a crash caused by a drowsy driver and you need help proving your valid injury claim, contact our experienced Houston accident lawyers for a free legal consultation. We could help you understand the legal options you have to gain fair financial compensation from the drowsy driver that caused your wreck. Call 877-307-9500 toll free or use our online contact features to schedule your confidential case evaluation consultation.