Drowsy driving causes approximately 328,000 car accidents every year and led to 5,000 deaths in 2015, according to “Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do,” a new study from the Governors Highway Safety Organization (GHSO).
Despite these alarming statistics, 83.6 million Americans continue to drive while they are tired and this leads to costly car accidents. The GHSO report estimates that drowsy driving accidents cost Americans $109 billion in medical bills, insurance and legal bills, and lost productivity.
Researchers found that teenagers, young adults, people with sleep disorders, and employees who work night shifts or irregular hours are more likely to engage in drowsy driving.
Traffic safety administrators, public health experts and a panel of sleep medicine doctors created the report to educate the public about the prevalence and the dangers of drowsy driving.
Drowsy Driving Increases Your Chances of an Accident
When you drive while you are drowsy or tired, you are 3.5 times more likely to get into a crash, according to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Drowsy driving could also make you more at-risk for a fatal car accident, as a AAA study found that 21 percent of fatal car crashes involved a drowsy driver.
Driving while drowsy could be just as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol. Research shows that driving after not sleeping for 18 hours is the same as driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.05.
Preventing drowsy driving is a challenge because many drivers do not realize how drowsy they actually are and authorities have no way to test drivers to see if they are too tired to be behind the wheel.
The experienced South Bend car accident lawyers at Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak will fight for your rights if you have been injured in a car accident. Our personal injury attorneys have secured fair compensation for many victims of car accidents, including medical bills and lost wages.
Contact us today by calling (574) 444-0741 to set up your free consultation.
