Posted in Wisconsin Workers Compensation Related News
Car Accident Lawyer
Not so long ago, a number of researchers tried to determine just how dangerous drowsy driving can be. As anyone who has ever engaged in “micro sleep” at the wheel and has woken with a jerk can attest, being so drowsy that you can’t safely keep your eyes wide is one of the scarier feelings one can experience while operating a massive electrical machine that is moving at speed. Yet, it wasn’t until relatively recently that the dangers of drowsy driving became more fully understood.
Much of the research efforts that center on the hazards of drowsy driving focus on the trucking industry. As truckers often get paid by the mile – not the hour – and are pressured by their employers to meet highly-specific deadlines regardless of road conditions and weather challenges, truckers are particularly prone to engage in drowsy driving in order to make a living.
The rate of drowsy drivers who were involved in serious trucking accidents was such that the issue could be swept under the rug no longer. As a result, researchers began evaluating everything from how the quality of one’s rest to the timing of one’s rest cycles impact driver safety when either acute fatigue or chronic sleep deprivation is a factor.
As Hazardous as Driving Drunk
One fact emerged in the middle of this wave of research that seemed to sum up the challenges detailed by all of the other studies combined. It has been confirmed by multiple reputable sources that driving after being awake for 24 hours is just as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%. This is higher than the legal limit of 0.08% BAC enforced by most states.
This statistic means that drowsy driving is not only as dangerous as driving drunk, it is functionally more dangerous than driving while intoxicated, depending on how long the driver in question has been awake. As fatigue and alcohol both significantly impact an individual’s ability to remain alert, to engage in quick reactions, and to make sound decisions, this finding – while stunning – isn’t exactly surprising.
The dangers of fatigued driving are becoming increasingly known and understood by not just the medical community, researchers, lawmakers, and law enforcement, but by the general population as well. But, despite this widespread understanding, and as an experienced black personal injury lawyer – including those who practice at Council & Associates, LLC – can confirm, drowsy driving remains a regular cause of injurious and fatal accidents across the state of Georgia and nationwide.
It is, therefore, important for individuals who have been injured in motor vehicle crashes to question whether fatigue on the part of other drivers may have played a role in the causation of their circumstances. After all, fatigue is an “invisible” influence and isn’t always apparent at a glance. Yet, experienced personal injury attorneys are skilled at revealing the truth about injurious situations and may have ways of gathering evidence of fatigue beyond simply asking someone if they were tired at the time of their collision.
