Yes, Drowsy Driving is as Dangerous as Drunk Driving

Silverman, McDonald & Friedman is a premier personal injury law firm serving clients throughout Delaware. We have skilled auto accident attorneys who are here to represent individuals and families and fight for the compensation they need after they have been injured in a car crash caused by the negligence of another driver. Our offices are conveniently located in Newark, Wilmington and Seaford.

We know that drunk driving kills. The media is full of messages about the dangers of drunk driving and many people have had personal experiences of knowing someone who has been injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, so it is easy to identify drunk driving as dangerous and irresponsible behavior. But why not the same attitude about drowsy driving, when it has been proven to be as dangerous when it comes to increasing the risk of causing a traffic accident?

Think about it: drunk driving slows the driver’s reflexes, impairs judgement and decision-making ability and slows reaction time. Drowsy driving also slows the driver’s reflexes, impairs judgement and decision-making ability and slows reaction time.

If something happens on the road while a drunk driver is trying to drive, but their head is cloudy from the alcohol and it takes longer for them to figure out how to react. That person is likely to get involved in a crash because they were too impaired to prevent it.

The drowsy driver who has drifted off behind the wheel, but is then startled awake by the blaring of a horn or the screeching of brakes will be unable to get themselves together and react fast enough to avoid a collision because sleep has overtaken their ability to make the fast decisions that driving requires.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that an estimated 1 in 25 adult drivers (age 18 or older) report having fallen asleep while driving in the past 30 days. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 72,000 crashes which led to 44,000 injuries and 800 deaths in 2013 were attributed to drowsy drivers. The challenge with accurately gathering statistics about how many auto accidents can be attributed to drowsy drivers is that there is no test to show that a driver fell asleep behind the wheel. After a crash caused by a drunk driver, law enforcement can measure the amount of alcohol in the driver’s blood, they can smell the alcohol on the driver’s breath and see evidence of impairment in their behavior.

What are the warning signs that you are too sleepy to drive?

The CDC reports that there are a few obvious warning signs that too often get ignored that a person is too sleepy to drive. They include the following:

• Yawning or blinking frequently
• Difficulty remembering anything about the last few miles driven
• Missing your exit
• Drifting from your lane
• Hitting the rumble strip by the side of the road

If you experience any of these warning signs, or see the driver of the vehicle you are a passenger in exhibit these behaviors, ask them to pull over and let you drive. If you are driving pull over and take a nap if you are in a safe location to stop. Failing that, get a cup of caffeinated coffee and have a light snack before you get back behind the wheel.

When you know you will be taking a long road trip, be sure to get enough sleep. Adults need at least seven hours and teens need at least 8 hours of sleep each night. If you are having problems getting enough sleep, have insomnia, or believe that you have a sleep disorder, see a doctor. Talk to your doctor about medications that you are currently taking that might be contributing to your drowsiness. If you are feeling too sleepy to drive do not drive.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to another driver’s negligent behavior, we are here to help. Call us at 302.414.5553 or fill out our contact form to learn more about our what our auto accidents attorneys in Newark, Seaford or Wilmington can do for you. At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we are ready to help you.