Drowsy Driving

By Mike Glisson | September 20, 2020

Many people know how dangerous getting on the road under any influence is. They understand that this is a bad decision. What people don’t pay as much attention to is getting behind the wheel while feeling drowsy or not stopping the car if you begin to feel drowsy while driving. 

They should know that according to the NSC “Driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08% – the U.S. legal limit”.

The National Safety Council also shared that, “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year about 100,000 police-reported crashes involve drowsy driving. These crashes result in more than 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries.

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated that 328,000 drowsy driving crashes occur annually. That’s more than three times the police-reported number. The same study found that 109,000 of those drowsy driving crashes resulted in an injury and about 6,400 were fatal. The researchers suggest the prevalence of drowsy driving fatalities is more than 350% greater than reported.”

These facts show just how careful you need to be about ensuring you are alert at all times when behind the wheel.

If you have an issue with feeling drowsy while driving be sure you are doing something that works for you to combat it. This could be a short nap before hand, caffeine, not driving at night, listening to music or even being sure to drive with someone that can take over for you incase you start feeling tired. 

When to pull over:

And lastly, if you experience any of these signs from the sleepfoundation you should pull over immediately: 

  • Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
  • Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
  • Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
  • Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
  • Trouble keeping your head up
  • Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
  • Feeling restless and irritable

Contact: Glisson Law

Posted in Uncategorized