If you have ever driven late at night or after not getting enough sleep and drifted off behind the wheel, you know the feeling of panic when you suddenly realize that you have drifted off to sleep while driving. Despite awareness by most drivers that it is extremely dangerous to drive when tired, many drivers consistently engage in this unsafe driving practice. A study conducted by the AAA Foundation found that 96 percent of drivers recognize that it is wrong to drive when so tired that one is struggling to keep one’s eyes open, but approximately a third of all drivers admit to doing so during the prior month.
The AAA Foundation also found that over 16 percent of all fatal car accidents involve a drowsy driver. It is particularly concerning that drowsy driving is not a rare event for most drivers but a habitual pattern of driving behavior. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2011 Sleep in America poll, ten percent of drivers report driving when drowsy as many as two times per week.
The magnitude of the danger of driving while drowsy can hardly be overstated. When you are cruising down the freeway at 65 mph and dose at the wheel for even a few seconds, your vehicle can travel the length of a football field. A driver who has been awake for twenty consecutive hours displays impaired driving skills comparable to a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent BAC, which is the legal limit for drunk driving in Mississippi.
In some respects, drowsy driving is a more challenging Mississippi car accident risk than drunk driving. Reducing drunk driving rates requires persuading drivers to take avoidable steps to avoid drinking and driving. Drivers have less flexibility to avoid driving when tired because commutes to work are not optional like drinking at a bar or party. The problem is becoming more significant because people are generally getting less sleep. This is partially the result of financial pressure to work more hours and traffic congestion resulting in longer commute times.
Fatigue and drowsy driving is also a common cause of commercial trucking accidents, but anti-fatigue rules that regulate hours of service by truck drivers has reduced the number of fatigue based trucking collisions. Trucking regulations that specify the number of consecutive hours, hours per week and length of rest periods help limit drowsy truck driving accidents. However, no such limits apply to drivers of passenger vehicles so drowsy driving is a significant problem.
If you or a family member is injured or a loved one dies in a collision caused by a distracted driver, you may have the right to pursue legal action and obtain financial compensation for your injuries or loss. The experienced Mississippi drowsy driving car accident attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing effective representation to person injury victims for over 75 years. We provide diligent legal representation and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.