New research indicated that previous data has underestimated the impact of drowsy driving accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shares that drowsy driving deaths may top 8000 per year, not 800.

 

Official traffic statistics from the agency in 2015 indicated that there were 72,000 crashes reported to the police that involved drowsy drivers. Those crashes were associated with more than 800 deaths and 41,000 injuries. However, a new report indicates that those numbers are too conservative as an estimate. There may be more than 8000 deaths every single year associated specifically with drowsy driving.

 

Many individuals who engage in drowsy driving behavior do not realize the significant danger they are putting themselves in. The NHTSA report is designed to evaluate the true scope of the problem and to help combat the problem of drowsy driving. They intent to share crash risks research associated with new methodologies and improved crash reporting as well as to document the potential economic impact of drowsy driving.
Partnering with private and public stakeholders and expanding their awareness and public education concerns and vehicle technology advisement can help to minimize the impacts of drowsy driving accident. If you are heading out on the road this summer to enjoy a long road trip to visit friends, family or take a vacation, make sure that you have plenty of rest stops planned along the way to minimize your chances of being involved in a drowsy driving accident. Many people overestimate their ability to stay awake behind the wheel, but this could cost you in terms of vehicle damages and injuries for those inside the car.

A recent study found that the majority of statewide crash reports don’t have a space for a law enforcement officer to record the fatigue level of the driver at the time of the crash. This means that valuable data associated with drowsy driving deaths may be seriously underreported. Even considering this fact, the number of drowsy driving deaths has been on the rise recently, indicating that it’s a major mistake that could hurt or kill others. Never minimize the impact of being tired behind the wheel.

 

Have drowsy driving deaths impacted your life personally? You might not discover until well after the accident that someone you love was killed because another driver in the accident was tired when it happened, but this can be an alarming blow. It also indicates that you and other family members may be entitled to recover compensation with a wrongful death claim.