Research and statistics provide information about automobile accidents that can help drivers understand the risks associated with driving and the types of accidents that can happen on the road. For example, statistics show that drowsy driving is a common cause of single-vehicle accidents involving serious injuries or fatalities and drivers who are not intoxicated. A tragic multi-fatality accident in Copiah County appears to be an example of this type of accident. The fiery early morning crash that killed two adults and two children occurred when a vehicle left the highway and hit a tree. An initial investigation of the accident scene indicated that the driver appeared to have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Accidents involving tired drivers are becoming more and more common on American roads, claiming the lives of approximately fifteen hundred people each year and injuring thousands of others. Despite ample media coverage of these tragic accidents, many people do not take sleep into consideration when they make choices about driving. As a nation, we are more sleep-deprived than ever before. Even in cases where people do not suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, accident risk can be increased by the occasional lack of sleep. It is also important to note that drivers who get adequate rest before they get behind the wheel experience an increased accident risk after they have been driving for a long time, as driving is an activity that can cause fatigue.
The effects of sleep deprivation and driver fatigue are similar to the effects of consuming alcohol. Tired drivers experience decreased awareness and impaired judgment, and they are slow to react to things like the movements of nearby vehicles, curves in the road, or animals that run out into the road. Unfortunately, the strategies that many of us use for keeping ourselves alert, including chewing gum, drinking coffee, or rolling down the windows, are only somewhat effective at increasing awareness and only work for a limited period of time. The safest thing that drivers can do when they notice that they are beginning to get tired is to stop and rest. Stopping to rest may not seem like an option, especially if you are trying to arrive at your destination at a certain time, but it is the best way to ensure that you get there safely.
Barrett Law PLLC: Serving the Needs of Mississippi Automobile Accident Victims
Automobile accidents involving serious injuries and fatalities have a deep and lasting impact upon the lives of accident victims and their families. It can be difficult to know what to do if an accident has taken the life of someone in your family or has left them with a serious injury. The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC may be able to help you if you have been injured in a Mississippi automobile accident, or if someone that you love was killed in a Mississippi automobile accident. To learn more, please call us today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule an initial consultation.
