Posted on Mar 18, 2013
Saturday morning around 8, 21-year-old Brandy Medlock apparently fell asleep at the wheel of her Ford pickup truck and crashed into a garbage truck on FM 646 during her drive home from a 12-hour night shift at work. She died at the scene of the tragic, fatal crash in Santa Fe, Texas. (Source: KTRK abc13.com, 3/16/13) Our deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of Ms. Medlock at this time.
Young Ms. Medlock is among many Texans to suffer tragic, fatal wrecks due to driver fatigue. Government estimates place the percentage of fatal crashes caused by driver fatigue at up to 33%. And our Angleton personal injury lawyers note that a recent study by the U.S. CDC found that 1 in 24, or 4% of adult drivers admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once in the prior month. Even one second’s sleep behind the wheel could be fatal.
Stay Alert: Even One Second Asleep Behind the Wheel Could Prove Fatal
At 60 mph, a vehicle will travel for a full 88 feet, or the length of two school buses. Almost anything can happen in that interval. The CDC study found that the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel was highest for men, drivers aged 25 to 34, those who averaged less than six hours of sleep per night, and Texans.
An NHTSA report tells that driver fatigue results in slowed reaction times, impaired attention to the road, a lack of vigilance while driving, impaired information processing and driver decision making, and greatly increased risks for falling asleep at the wheel and swerving off course to cause a crash.
Our Angleton personal injury lawyers emphasize that high-speed rear-end wrecks or head-on collisions caused by vehicles crossing over the centerline or median of a road take a heavy toll in Texas. Especially in rural areas like Santa Fe, Texas, where some busy highways are simple, two-lane roads, momentary lapses of attention can cause drivers to lose control and crash at high speed into other vehicles.
Contact us if you or a Loved One was harmed in a Wreck caused by Driver Fatigue
Contact the Angleton personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC if you or a loved one needs help after a serious collision. We understand how a catastrophic collision can change your life and leave you with unforeseen expenses and losses. Let us help. Contact us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form for a FREE and confidential legal consultation to discuss the accident and your potential eligibility for a financial recovery. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And our Angleton personal injury lawyers’ more than 15 years of experience could help you get your life moving forward again after a catastrophic collision.
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