The Dangers Of Drowsy Driving

Every year at Thanksgiving, radio DJs trot out those same old jokes about how eating turkey at Thanksgiving dinner makes people sleepy, allegedly because of tryptophan.  This claim has been debunked; turkey contains no more tryptophan than many other foods, and there are plenty of other reasons to be sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner?  Anyone would be sleepy after spending several long days preparing a meal, after an interstate road trip, or after working more hours than normal in the gig economy during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving in order to be able to afford to take time off for the holiday.  In other words, people are tired and struggling to stay awake every day, but it is harder for them to avoid driving during the Thanksgiving holiday than it is at most other times of the year.  If you have been injured in an accident where the driver fell asleep at the wheel or was too tired to focus on the road, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

Drowsy Driving Is Distracted Driving

The first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think of distracted driving is young and inexperienced drivers talking, texting, or watching videos on their cell phones, in other words, drivers who are intentionally paying attention to something other than driving.  In fact, much distracted driving occurs when drivers have every intention of staying focused on the road.  Unfortunately, drowsy driving is a very common problem.  Approximately four percent of drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once; the number of those who didn’t fall asleep but were too sleepy to drive safely is even higher.  It isn’t just people who have been awake for 24 consecutive hours who fall asleep at the wheel; some slept for as many as six hours the previous night, and most adults get less than seven hours of sleep per night, even if they need this much sleep.

How to Avoid Drowsy Driving This Holiday Season

There are more drowsy drivers on the road during the holiday season than during most other times of the year, but there are some things you can do to stay alert.  When possible, divide road trips over two days; if you planned to drive for eight hours in a day and you end up in several traffic jams, you could be on the road for ten hours or more.  When it is time to go home after a social event, assuming that everyone is sober, the most well-rested person should drive.  Drowsiness can impair your driving ability as much as alcohol, so a sleep-deprived person who did not drink at the party is in no better position to drive than someone who consumed several drinks.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you get a fair settlement if you were injured in an accident involving a distracted driver.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

cdc.gov/sleep/features/drowsy-driving.html