If you’re feeling drowsy, do you still reach for your car keys? Most people would say that driving when you’re feeling so fatigued you have problems keeping your eyes open can be a risky venture, and now new research has come up with the numbers to back this up.
A report recently released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that driver fatigue was implicated in more than one in five fatal crashes, or 21 percent of traffic fatalities. The AAA notes that these statistics are more than shown by the official statistics on drowsy drivers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The report, titled Prevalence of Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Drowsy Drivers, is based on the analysis of 14,268 crashes between 2009 to 2013 in which at least one vehicle was towed from the scene.
The report also found that, despite the seriousness of the problem, drivers tended to both underestimate the risks associated with driving while fatigued and overestimate their own personal ability to fight off drowsiness while they’re driving.
Some of the warning signs of drowsy driving include not being able to remember the last few miles you travelled, experiencing disconnected or wandering thoughts, problems keeping your eyes open, problems focusing, a heavy-feeling head, drifting out of your lane, repeated yawning, accidental tailgating of the vehicles in front of you and missing traffic signs.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Los Angeles accident, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.