Falling Asleep at the Wheel: 6 Signs You’re Too Tired to Drive
There are a variety of reasons that a person may cause a car accident: drowsy driving or falling asleep at the wheel is one of them. Tragically, drowsy driving crashes result in more than 1,550 fatal car accidents and 71,000 injuries annually.
If you or a loved one was injured because of a driver falling asleep at the wheel, call a local car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The injury attorney can discuss your legal rights and determine next steps.
Falling asleep at the wheel accident statistics
According to a study by the AAA Foundation, an estimated 328,000 drowsy driving accidents happen every year. That’s more than three times the police-reported number. (According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year there are about 100,000 police-reported crashes involving drowsy driving.) The same AAA Foundation study found that 109,000 of those 328,000 drowsy driving crashes resulted in an injury and about 6,400 fatalities.
Here are more drowsy driving statistics:
- One out of every 10 drivers have fallen asleep behind the wheel.
- About half of U.S. adult drivers admit to getting behind the wheel while feeling drowsy on a regular basis.
- AAA estimates that drowsy driving is the cause of almost one in six fatal car accidents.
- Most falling asleep at the wheel crashes happen between midnight and 6 a.m. or in the late afternoon; times when we are most likely to feel sleepy.
- Drowsy driving accidents often happen when a driver is alone in a vehicle.
- Drowsy driving accidents happen more often on rural roads.
What age group of adults is most likely to fall asleep at the wheel?
In the AAA report, younger drivers between the ages of 16-24 were almost twice as likely to be involved in a drowsy driving crash as drivers aged 40-59.
Falling Asleep at the Wheel: 6 Signs You’re Too Tired to Drive
According to the drivinginstitute.com, these are the six signs that you’re too tired to drive:
- You’re in a terrible mood
Sleep deprivation can make you grumpy and angry at other drivers. If you’re in a terrible mood, stop to consider whether sleep deprivation could be the reason.
- You can’t remember driving the last few miles
If your memory is slipping off while you drive it could be a sign that you’re exhausted. The best thing to do is pull over and take a nap.
- You can’t stop yawning or rubbing your eyes
These are obvious signs of fatigue; your body is trying to tell you something.
- Your head is involuntarily dropping to your chin and your eyes are heavy
If your head or eyes are drooping down, it’s time to get off the road and get some sleep. Your body is trying to warn you that you’re exhausted.
- Erratic driving behavior
If you are accidentally swerving or driving over the center lane and you are not intoxicated, that is a sign that you are too tired to be driving.
- You have slept less than four hours in the last 24 hours
If you haven’t slept more than four hours in the last 24 hours, it is best to avoid driving. It’s only natural that you would be exhausted.
In order to prevent a drowsy driving accident, it is extremely important to avoid driving when you are feeling sleep deprived or drowsy. This may come as a surprise but getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period can affect your brain and body, especially when it happens day after day. If you can delay your trip to sleep in or take a nap, that is preferable to a crash.
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
