What Is the Danger of Drowsy Driving?

Some who gets behind the wheel in Tennessee while feeling “a little tired” could end up causing a fatal accident. Severe crashes may occur when someone falls asleep behind the wheel due to fatigue. Even someone who stays awake but remains drowsy might find him or herself hitting another vehicle, tree, guardrail or a person, so learning about the dangers associated with drowsy driving should lead drivers to take precautionary steps.

Drowsy Driving Dangers

Drivers often become too casual about the risks associated with drowsy driving. Someone who gets too little sleep during the week might get used to driving while fatigued. Others may take over-the-counter medication that makes them tired, but they ignore the dangers. Not getting involved in an accident today doesn’t mean that a driver will automatically avoid one in the future.

Drowsy driving comes with risks due to slowed reaction times, reduced awareness and other problems that might eventually cause a crash. Someone too tired to notice a stalled car on the road may not hit the brakes in time, and a rear-end collision could result. That’s one example of a disastrous accident that drowsy driving may cause.

Preventing Drowsy Driving

Drowsy drivers may find themselves responsible for an accident that occurs due to their negligence. Relying on lane departure warnings and other alerts to avoid crashes could be woefully inadequate. A driver who feels too fatigued to drive can serve him or herself and others by not taking to the road and jeopardizing people’s safety.

In 2005, about 5,000 people died in accidents resulting from drowsy driving. Such sobering figures should prompt everyone to realize that concerns about drowsy driving are not overstated.

Drowsy driving could easily lead to a car crash, and fatigued drivers who cause such accidents may face a personal injury lawsuit. A victim of a drowsy driving accident might want to consult with an attorney about filing a claim for compensation.