Drowsy Driving as the Cause of Your car Accident

By Ben Sessions on February 6th, 2016 in Car / Auto Accident

The dangers of drowsy driving are well recognized amongst most of the public. It is really difficult to state exactly how many crashes are a result of drowsy driving or contributed to by drowsiness. However, there are some fairly obvious indicators that drowsiness contributed to the causation of the accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has attempted to gauge the impact of drowsy driving on car accidents by examining police accident reports and driver’s self-reports in which drowsiness was identify as a causal factor.

FARS is the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and it is maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to FARS, in 2014, 846 deaths in car accidents were contributed to by drowsiness.

The number of accidents and fatalities contributed to by drowsy driving are staggering. From 2005 to 2009, drowsy driving contributed to approximately 83,000 car accidents annually. Among those approximate numbers of accident, approximately 886 traffic deaths resulted from or were contributed to by drowsy driving.

DROWSY DRIVING IS SIMPLY TOO SIMILAR TO ALCOHOL-RELATED DRIVING TO BE IGNORED

We see a remarkable similarity in the effects of drowsy driving and alcohol-related car accidents. However, criminal penalties for car accidents resulting from drowsy driving are rarely imposed. Further, alcohol in combination with an already drowsy driver is a particularly dangerous proposition. Alcohol in combination with sleep deprivation exacerbates the likely of falling asleep while driving.

It requires a detailed and work-intensive investigation, but it is possible to uncover sleep-deprivation and drowsiness as the cause or potential cause of an accident. Your car accident lawyer simply needs to know where to look.

It is critical that your car accident lawyer understand the severity of drowsy driving related accident and that your car accident attorney be able to successfully demonstrate the dangers of drowsy driving.

If you have been involved in a car accident that may have been contributed to by drowsiness, contact The Sessions Law Firm today. Our car accident lawyers understand how to handle these cases and maximize your recovery.