When it comes to the risk of falling asleep at the wheel, it’s important to realize the disturbing picture of road safety. The National Sleep Foundation conducted a 2009 study, identifying that up to 69% of adult drivers have reported driving while drowsy. Unfortunately, drowsy driving is becoming an increasingly big problem and it is higher among those respondents who report a problem getting to sleep at night versus those without a problem. This is a devastating safety hazard that could pose catastrophic consequences since falling asleep at the wheel for even just three seconds could prove fatal. Avoid falling asleep at the wheel at all costs. 

There are many different causes of drowsy driving, including alcohol consumption, use of certain medications, job related shift and sleep restriction, untreated sleep disorders, unrecognized and undiagnosed sleep disorders, sleep loss and naturally occurring circadian factors. It is important to realize that everyone is at risk of being injured in a drowsy driving accident. A typical crash associated with any type of drowsy driving is usually associated with a driver being alone in the vehicle, the driver not attempting to avoid the crash, it is likely to be a serious outcome and it occurs during the mid-afternoon or late night/early morning.

Sleepiness may play a role in many different traffic accidents and if you believe that you have already been hurt in an accident caused by someone else falling asleep at the wheel, you need to report these concerns immediately to an experienced injury attorney. All too often, drowsy driver crashes have significant consequences and may even prove fatal. Getting an experienced personal injury lawyer to the scene to represent your best interests as soon as possible is extremely important.