Driving can be a stressful task for most. Having to not only control your own car but the worrisome nature of having other drivers around you. Not to mention random factors like weather that can occur.
Of the dangers related to driving, one of the most common causes of car accidents has to deal with people who drive while being exhausted. They’re too tired to drive but do so anyway, putting everyone at risk.
Most people don’t think of driving while being exhausted as a crime since it’s not like drinking and driving or anything like that. However, the reality is that driving while being tired is basically the same as drinking and driving.
To understand the dangers related to this issue, this article is going to take a closer look at driving while being exhausted. Going over the statistics, why people drive tired, and why you shouldn’t drive if you’re tired.
Statistics on Driving While Tired
As noted, the statistics below highlight some of the dangers related to drowsy driving.
- The driver’s reaction time is significantly worse if they’re drowsy driving. Making them more likely to get in a car accident.
- Driving after going with 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08%.
- Drivers are three times more likely to get into an accident if they’re fatigued.
As you can tell, there’s a serious danger when people drive tired. To understand this issue more, it’s important to go over why people drive tired in the first.
Why People Drive Tired
As noted, down below are a few reasons why people drive tired.
- They’re Traveling
A lot of the time people are driving fatigued because they’re on vacation. This means they’re on a drive from New York to Florida on a trip and don’t want to pull-over at all. Making them more likely to get in an accident. They are pushing themselves to drive an extended period of time, trying to meet a deadline.
- They’re Working
There’s a lot of workers that have to drive through the night for work. Causing them to be more likely to experience an accident because of their fatigue.
- They’re in a Rush
In some cases, drivers who have to drive a long distance and are rushing because of that might end up ignoring the sleep they need. - They have a sleep disorder and can’t help it
They may have narcolepsy, they have a lack of sleep due to outside factors, etc.
Why You Shouldn’t Drive if You’re Tired
As noted, down below will highlight why people shouldn’t drive tired.
- You Put Yourself at Risk
As noted earlier, you’re three times more likely to get in an accident if you drive fatigued. Why put yourself at risk when you can avoid it?
- There are Rest Stops for a Reason
Rest stops aren’t just for people who need to get out stretch, there’s also meant for people who need to pull over and sleep for a bit. If you feel tired and are driving, go ahead and pull over for a bit.
- You’re Just Going to Sleep Wherever you End Up
No matter where you’re going, the truth is you’ll end up sleeping as soon as you arrive anyways. You might as pull over and sleep so you don’t put yourself at risk. It isn’t worth putting yourself or others in danger.
Driving while drowsy is irresponsible, and can greatly put other drivers and yourself in danger. It is important to take responsibility and plan extended trips with breaks, to enable you to refresh yourself. Don’t drive while on unfamiliar medications. Make sure to get a full night’s rest when driving on a road trip.
Have you been involved in a Car Accident?
If you’ve been involved in a car accident because another driver was driving while drowsy, you may be entitled to compensation. You may be able to recover damages or losses from the car accident. Those losses include lost wages, medical bills and damaged or lost property because of the accident. We have a team of experienced car accident attorneys who are here to help you. Complete our online form or give us a call directly at (865) 888-8888 to start your free evaluation.
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