Trying to struggle through any task while fatigued can feel nearly impossible, and trying to operate a motor vehicle while suffering from fatigue is even more dangerous than drunk driving in some situations. Even so, many people drive while dealing with a lack of sleep without realizing how dangerous this decision may be.
When someone chooses to drive while fatigued, they are putting themselves and everyone else on the road at risk of an accident. If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident that a fatigued driver caused, you may be entitled to compensation that goes beyond the amount that the at-fault driver’s insurance is readily willing to offer. But getting this money is a complicated process that is best handled with the support and guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Take On The Insurance Companies With Confidence
An insurance claim can be overwhelming for someone who is not experienced with these processes, and this experience is even more difficult if they are suffering from significant injuries after the accident. When victims handle their own claims, insurance companies take aggressive actions to settle the claim as quickly and inexpensively as possible, sometimes resorting to intimidation and bullying to achieve this goal. When you have a car accident lawyer handling your case while you stay focused on your recovery, the insurance adjuster knows they will need to play by the rules and work to reach a fair settlement agreement.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Find an Attorney In Your Area After a Driver Fatigue Accident
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. You don’t have to take on the task of finding a personal injury attorney after suffering from significant injuries caused by a driver fatigue accident. Instead, we will connect you with a lawyer in your area for a free consultation, during which, you will have the opportunity to discuss the specifics of your accident and learn about the type of support that you can expect. This consultation is a great opportunity to better understand how the claims process works and can help put your mind at ease knowing that someone is ready to fight for what you deserve.
Read more about driver fatigue below, and contact our team to connect with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
What Is Fatigue?
Fatigue refers to feeling tired or weak because one lacks energy or is under stress. According to MedlinePlus, there are several different types of fatigue that people experience every day, including mental fatigue, emotional fatigue, and physical fatigue. Each type of fatigue can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and seriously diminishes a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.
Getting the proper amount of sleep each night may not keep a driver from experiencing fatigue if they suffer from issues like depression, insomnia, or physical issues like sleep apnea.
Fatigue is a significant issue in the commercial trucking industry, and while there are strict rules for the hours that a driver can operate their vehicle, this simply protects drivers from suffering fatigue due to their work. As anyone who has been tired at work or school knows, many different aspects of our lives may lead to fatigue that have nothing to do with our current activity.
The Dangers of Fatigue On The Road
Fatigue can affect a person’s ability to drive in many ways. For example, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) notes that lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can cause drivers to perform poorly in tasks such as steering and braking. Additionally, fatigue slows reaction time and impairs judgment; this combination often results in delayed decision-making and poor motor control. When all these factors are combined, they can significantly increase the likelihood of an accident.
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), driving while fatigued greatly increases a person’s risk for car accidents. Some statistics presented by NSF include:
- Drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes each year
- Drowsy driving causes 1,550 deaths and 40,000 injuries annually
- Drowsy driving is the cause of at least 100,000 car crashes each year
Drowsiness affects a person’s ability to perceive and react quickly to external stimuli and negatively affects their judgment. Therefore, fatigue can potentially lead to a motor vehicle accident because it makes a person unable to make the correct decisions while driving. For example, if a fatigued driver falls asleep behind the wheel even for a brief moment, they might not be able to avoid colliding with other vehicles on the road.
Additionally, fatigue may result in slower reactions which could delay an individual from performing such tasks as turning or braking when they are required. The combination of slowed reaction time and impaired judgment is dangerous because it means that many car accidents caused by drowsy drivers could have been preventable.
In a study on driver fatigue, researchers found that people who had been awake for 17-19 hours performed similarly to those with a BAC of .05. In other words, drivers who have been awake for 19 hours exhibited severely impaired performance, comparable to how someone might perform after consuming too much alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Essentially, both individuals would be unable to make good decisions while driving, which could result in an accident.