East and West Feliciana Parish Injury Attorneys

Driver Fatigue and Auto Accidents

When drivers grow tired, the result is often an accident. In the United States, experts estimate that approximately 20 percent of automobile accidents involve fatigued drivers. Fatigued drivers simply cannot perceive and react to road situations as well as someone who is fully rested. Furthermore, a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study shows that 37 percent of drivers admit to falling asleep while driving.

Fatigue and its' effects

In many ways, fatigued drivers can be as dangerous as drunken drivers. Both suffer from severely reduced reaction times and perceptions. Statistically speaking, drivers in the 18-20 year-old age group are five times more likely to be involved in a fatigue-related accident, probably due to their irregular sleep habits and lack of driving experience.

Regardless of age, approximately 1,500 people die and 71,000 are injured annually in fatigue-related crashes. Interestingly, less than one percent of these accidents involve long distance truckers, especially since federal regulations restrict truckers from driving over ten hours in a 24-hour period.

Ways to avoid an accident

Baton Rouge auto accident attorneys suggest you remain aware of the following warning signs of fatigue when driving:

• Difficulty remembering your last few minutes or miles
• Hitting a rumble strip
• Difficulty staying in your lane
• Repeated yawning
• Disjointed thoughts, and difficulty focusing
• Missing traffic signs
• You narrowly miss crashing

If you believe you may be a fatigued driver, take the following steps to avoid a mishap:

• If possible, get off the road
• Talk with your passengers
• Drink a caffeinated beverage, but remember it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter your bloodstream
• Get out of your car and walk around
• Avoid carbohydrates, as they eventually make you sleepy
• Avoid allergy or medicines containing Diphenhydramine

Driver fatigue can be prevented, and disregarding it can leave you legally liable for its results.

Contact a East and West Feliciana Parish auto accident lawyer today

If you or your loved one has suffered an injury caused by driver fatigue, contact Marks and Lear, PLC online or call 225-383-5678. Our experienced Clinton auto accident attorneys can help protect your legal rights and, if necessary, obtain damages and other compensation.