Utah Drowsy Driving Accident Lawyer | Free Utah Accident Book
We often hear about the dangers of drunk driving and distracted driving, but what about fatigued driving? Feeling drowsy and sleepy behind the wheel can lead to serious consequences. While a person who has had a few drinks will likely avoid driving, sleepy individuals will still get behind the wheel without a second thought. Nearly 51% of drivers in America, roughly 100 million people, admitted to feeling drowsy while behind the wheel, according to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. The same poll found that an astonishing 2 out of 10 of those drivers have actually fallen asleep while driving!
It is difficult to determine accurate statistics for drowsy driving, as there is no method for testing or proving it. As such, many reports and statistical gatherings are considered to be relatively conservative estimates. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported accidents each year are due to drowsy driving, resulting in 1,500 deaths and 71,000 injuries.
Statistics show that adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely to drive drowsy or fatigued than other age groups. Men drive drowsy more often than women and are 2 times as likely to fall asleep behind the wheel. Adults with children and shift workers are also more prone to drowsy driving. Studies have also found that sleeping patterns greatly attributes to drowsy driving. Adults who sleep only 6 to 7 hours a night are twice as likely to be involved in a crash as those who sleep 8 or more hours. Drivers who have been awake for more than 18 hours are driving with impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.05%.
Many serious and fatal Utah accidents are caused by drowsy drivers. Sadly, truck drivers that are behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound semi truck and trailer consciously make a decision to put other drivers in danger by driving drowsy just to keep up with their delivery deadlines. If you have been involved in a Utah drowsy driving accident, be sure to request a free copy of my Utah Accident Book, “7 Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case.” This book provides insight on how to deal with the insurance adjustors and what important information needs to be preserved before it is destroyed by the truck driver. You can get your free, no obligation copy at www.UtahAccidentBook.com.
