Sleeping is an essential part of life. You need it to regain the energy you exerted the previous day, or night if you work evenings, and it helps your body to function properly the next day. While experts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) suggest that you receive between seven and eight hours of sleep each and every night, it is evident not many people have that many hours to commit to resting their bodies, despite the fact that it needs it. And while you may be aware that if you don’t get enough sleep you will feel lethargic and lazy, not getting enough sleep also puts you at a higher risk of engaging in a car crash over those who get an adequate amount of rest.
Did you know that “drivers who sleep only five to six hours in a 24-hour period are twice as likely to crash as drivers who get seven hours of sleep or more,” according to a report released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety? And the chances of engaging in an accident only increase if your hours go below five. The fact is, the less sleep a driver gets, the higher the crash rate is for them. Unfortunately, too many lives have already been taken because of drowsy driving. In 2015, 824 fatalities were recorded, and thousands of others were injured in these types of accidents.
It’s Time to Make Sleep is a Priority
Over the years, drowsy driving has had a significant impact on roadway safety. Thousands of individuals have been involved in wrecks all across the U.S, some who sustained serious injuries and others who didn’t survive. And while it is understandable that your lifestyle doesn’t permit you to set aside a seven-hour period where you do nothing but sleep, you may want to make it a priority and rearrange your schedule so that you have the time your body needs to get its rest.
According to Jake Nelson, who is the director of Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research for AAA, “if you have not slept seven or more hours in a given 24-hour period, you really shouldn’t be behind the wheel.” Not only are putting your life at risk, but also the other drivers around you. When you are tired and have not allowed your body to rest for the suggested period of time, you are less likely to think clearly or react quickly. The NHLBI reported that “Studies have shown that when you lack sleep, you are more likely to make bad decisions and take more risks. This can result in poor performance on the job or at school and a greater risk for an accident or car crash.”
While many assume that they can make up for their lost sleep by filling up with coffee and other caffeinated drinks, it is only a matter of time before your body doesn’t respond to it and your thinking becomes cloudy and your body becomes fatigued. So, rather than take the risk and drive tired, make sleep a priority so that you don’t put yourself or anyone else in a compromising situation.
Now, if you were recently involved in a drowsy driving-related accident in Madison, MS and need to speak with a personal injury attorney regarding recovering compensation for your vehicle damage and/or injuries, contact us here at Ballard Law, PLLC. Madison, MS accident lawyer William E. Ballard has handled all types of personal injury cases and has helped those clients collect the compensation they were rightfully due.
If you would like to get a consultation scheduled to find out how Ballard Law, PLLC. can help you, contact us or call us at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
